What Brings Us Together
by XxXLiliumAngelXxX
Summary: Music brings people together. In this fic, Gaara and his band are vampires, and Noriko Uchiha, Sasuke's cousin, catches Gaara's attention. Can love make it through this wild life? And wat the heck is wrong wit Noriko? GaaraXOC,NaruXHina,SasuXSaku,TenXKiba
1. Shinobi's Up!

What Brings Us Together

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or ANY, and I mean, **ANY **of the songs used in this fic.

I glanced around the dressing room I was in. The mirrors were lined with light bulbs; the occasional one was burnt out or broken. "Noriko, wait up!" I heard a voice call my name. I turned to see my fellow band mates running in carrying garment bags and purses. My absolute, most best friend on the planet walked in first. Sakura Haruno walked to the seat next to me, placing her stuff on the counter. Her bubble gum pink hair was streaked with black as it barely brushed her shoulders. Her green eyes were wide and sparkling with excitement. A small metallic pink lip ring pierced the skin on the left side of her bottom lip. Her drumming was killer too. Next stumbled in Hinata Hyuga, the shy, sweet, somewhat awkward one of the group. Her navy hair was to die for, the ends bleached and dyed white to match her pearlescent eyes. She stuttered a lot, but her fingers were gentle and fast when they strummed a guitar. TenTen Yu came bouncing in, throwing an arm around Hinata, and practically dragging the poor guitarist along. Tenten had her chestnut hair up in two buns, which she called "panda ears." Her conniving chocolate eyes scanned the room as she clicked her tongue piercing against her teeth. She flipped a kunai knife in her hand. That girl was obsessed with sharp objects, as well as her bass. "So, both of your cousins are coming, right Nori?" Sakura asked as she pulled out her black and pink drumsticks, practicing in the air. "Yeah. They'll be tough to beat." I answered as I pulled my wardrobe out of my own bag. I began humming one of the songs and practicing the guitar fingerings as I examined my outfit. I looked in the mirror and smiled. My reflection smiled back. My black hair was loose, framing my heart-shaped face. My coal black eyes stared back, inlaid on porcelain white skin. We all dressed getting ready for the show. We were participating in the annual Battle of the Bands in Konoha, the Leaf City. (AN: This is in modern times, so Konoha is no longer a village. lol) Our band, Angels Cry, had made it to the finals, along with my two cousins and their bands. We all looked each other over, examining the wardrobe closer. Tenten was wearing a black mid-riff that read "LOSER!!!!!" in bright green letters across her chest with black capri pants and neon green converse. Hinata wore a black long sleeve shirt that hugged her tightly with a pair of gray skinny jeans and black hi-top Vans. Sakura was the little punker/goth with a black spaghetti string top under a neon pink fishnet shirt with a black bleated mini skirt, black and pink striped tights, and black ankle boots. I wore a black short-sleeved button up with a crimson colored tie. The back of the shirt had my family crest on it, which was a red and white fan. A red plaid schoolgirl type of mini skirt hung around my hips, a pair of black tights hiding my legs. My knee-high black Converse topped it all off. We squealed like idiots in sheer excitement, when there was a knock on the door. A voice accompanied it. "C'mon out cousin!" I groaned. My cousin could be an ass. That's all there was to it. I walked to the door and opened it. There stood my two cousins, my rivals, yet my closest friends. "It's an Uchiha family reunion!" The older of the two exclaimed, hugging me tightly. This one was Itachi, my favorite. He had long hair as black as mine, and his eyes were black with a bluish tinge to them. He was the nicer of the two brothers. "I'm still surprised you even made it." My eye twitched as I clenched my fists. "Good to see you too, Sauce-gay." He drew his lips back over his teeth and bared his fangs on a hiss. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. My cousins are vampires. I'm not a vamp because my mother was an illegitimate child, and was born human. Yeah. Lucky me I guess. It didn't help that all of Sasuke's friends were vampires either. Except for the bassist. He was a pure bred werewolf. Whoopty fucking doo. "Fuck you Nori." He hissed again. I just smiled. Itachi hit Sasuke upside the head, cussing him out before Sasuke stalked away to his dressing room. "Sorry Nori. You know how he is." Itachi smiled softly. "Yeah. Well, good luck Itachi." I said, hugging him again. "Good luck to you too pixie." I smiled. He had called me my old nickname he had given me when we were young. I had a high voice that reminded him of a pixie. I walked into the dressing room, seeing the girls practicing. I soon joined them, excitement building in my stomach.

Sasuke barged into the room, his blood red Sharingan spinning with fury. "Teme, what's the matter?" the blonde who sat across from me questioned. Naruto Uzumaki was class-A bonehead, but was pretty cool as long as his ramen was still around. "Nothing you fucking dobe!" Sasuke roared, baring his fangs menacingly. "Someone must've gotten your knickers in a twist. Was it your cousin? Or was it Itachi?" Kiba, the only werewolf in the group, grinned stupidly. "Shut your damn trap, mutt!" Kiba's large dog, Akamaru, barked in defiance of our pureblood friend. That's when I spoke up. "You guys need to calm down or we'll never win this with you guys ready to rip each other's throats out." They looked at me, the Uchiha snarling, Naruto's lips curled back over his fangs, and Kiba growling with murderous intent. Naruto calmed down first before speaking. "Gaara's right. Then you're cousin or brother will really start hassling you teme." Sasuke's eyes reverted to black, and he ran a hand through his hair. "Call for Shinobi. You are up in 5 minutes!" a voice rang through the intercom in the corner. "You ready for this?" Naruto grinned. I just nodded, grabbing my jacket and guitar as I walked towards the stage. They followed me, minus Akamaru. We were announced and you could hear the girls shrieking as we walked out. Naruto bounded off towards the drum set in the back of the formation. Kiba crossed the stage, bass in hand, bowing in front of a crowd of girls. Sasuke took his place to the right of me, slinging his electric guitar over his shoulder. Naruto then spoke into his mic. "Heya!!! We're Shinobi!! Enjoy the show!!!" Naruto his sticks together in a count down. After three clicks, Kiba strummed his bass rhythmically. I held the mic closer to my mouth, letting my guitar hang loosely by the strap.

(**Forever by Papa Roach)**

In the brightest hour

_Of my darkest day_

_I realized what is wrong with me_

_Can't get over you_

_Can't get through to you_

_It's been a helter skelter romance from the start_

_Take these memories_

_That are haunting me_

_Of a paper man cut into shreds_

_By his own pair of scissors_

_He'll never forgive her_

_He'll never forgive her…_

_Because days come and go!_

_But my feelings for you are forever!_

_Because days come and go!_

_But my feelings for you are forever!_

_Sittin' by a fire_

_On a lonely night_

_Hangin' over from another good time_

_With another girl_

_Little dirty girl_

_You should listen to this story of her life_

_You're my heroine_

_In this moment, I'm lonely_

_Fulfilling my darkest dreams_

_All these drugs, all these women_

_I'm never forgiven_

_This broken-hearted man_

_Because days come and go!_

_But my feelings for you are forever!_

_Because days come and go!_

_But my feelings for you are forever!_

_One last kiss_

_Before I go_

_Dry your tears_

_It is time to let you go_

_One last kiss_

_Before I go_

_Dry your tears_

_It is time to let you go_

_Because days come and go!_

_But my feelings for you are forever!_

_Because days come and go!_

_But my feelings for you are forever!_

_One last kiss_

_Before I go_

_Dry your tears_

_It is time to let you go_

_One last kiss_

_Before I go_

_Dry your tears_

_It is time to let you go_

_One last kiss…_

The crowd went wild as we finished our song, but the orchestra playback started, and the crowd silenced as the beat began. There was a piano in the background, and then Naruto hit his drums and kept a steady beat as I sang into mic.

**(Already Over by RED)** You never go

_You're always here _

_(Suffocating me)_

_Under my skin_

_I cannot run away_

_Fading slowly…_

_I'd give it all to you!_

_Letting go of me!_

_Reaching as I fall!_

_I know it's already over now!_

_Nothing left to lose!_

_Loving you again!_

_I know it's already over!_

_Already over now…_

_My best defense_

_Running from you_

_(Cost me every)_

_(Cost me everything)_

_I can't resist _

_Take all you want from me_

_Breaking slowly…_

_I'd give it all to you!_

_Letting go of me!_

_Reaching as I fall!_

_I know it's already over now!_

_Nothing left to lose!_

_Loving you again!_

_I know it's already over!_

_Already over now!!!!!!_

_You're all I'm reaching for_

_It's already over_

_All I'm reaching for!_

_It's already over now…_

_I'd give it all to you…_

_I offer up my soul…_

_It's already over_

_ALREADY OVER NOW!!!!!_

_Give it all to you!_

_Letting go of me! _

_Reaching as I fall!_

_I know it's already over now!_

_Nothing left to lose!_

_Loving you AGAIN!!!!!!_

_I know it's already over now!!_

_(It's already over)_

_Now!!!_

_I know it's already over_

_Already over!_

The orchestra faded out, and the crowd was screaming again. A couple of girls in the front thought it'd be cute to flash us, but I looked away in disgust. The way girls threw themselves at you was enraging. And they wonder why men don't want them. I took a quick swig out of a water bottle before continuing. We had two more songs to go, and we were planning on letting a bit of our darker sides out. I heard the eerie echoing sound from the speakers, and then Naruto hit the cymbals and drums, cueing us as an eerie violin played a hypnotic note.

**(Forsaken by David Draiman)**

I'm over it

_You see I'm falling in a vast abyss_

_Clouded by memories of the past_

_At last I see_

_I hear it fading_

_I can't speak it_

_Or else you will dig my grave_

_I feel them finding_

_Always winding_

_Take my hand now_

_Be alive!_

_You see I cannot be forsaken_

_Because I'm not the only one_

_We walk amongst you_

_Feeding, raping_

_Thus we hide from everyone_

_I'm over it_

_Why can't we be together, erase it_

_Sleeping so long taking off the mask_

_At last I see_

_My fear is fading_

_I can't speak it_

_Or else you will dig my grave_

_We feel them finding_

_Always winding_

_Take my hand now_

_Be alive_

_You see I cannot be forsaken_

_Because I'm not the only one_

_We walk amongst you_

_Feeding, raping_

_Thus we hide from everyone_

_You see I cannot be forsaken_

_Because I'm not the only one_

_We walk amongst you_

_Feeding, raping_

_Thus we hide from everyone_

_Everyone!_

_EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

My song represented our lifestyle. Feeding, hiding from the world. It was fitting to us creatures of the supernatural. I started strumming the guitar, Sasuke copying the notes with ease. Kiba, Naruto, and the Uchiha were my backing vocals as I sang.

Here I stand

_Helpless and left for dead_

We let the full potential of out instruments after those lines, the intensity starting a mosh pit in the crowd.

Close your eyes

_So many days go by_

_Easy to find what's wrong_

_Harder to find what's right_

_I believe in you_

_I can show you that I can see right through_

_All your empty lies, lies_

_Won't stay long _

_In this world so wrong_

_Say goodbye!_

_As we dance with the devil of night!_

_Don't you dare look at him in the eye!_

_As we dance with the devil tonight!!!!_

_Trembling,_

_Crawling across my skin_

_Feeling you cold, dead eyes_

_Stealing the life of mine_

_I believe in you_

_I can show you that I can see right through_

_All your empty lies, lies_

_Won't last long _

_In this world so wrong_

_Say goodbye!_

_As we dance with the devil of night!_

_Don't you dare look at him in the eye!_

_As we dance with the devil tonight!!!!_

_Hold on!!_

_Hold ON!!!!!!_

_(Gaara's guitar solo)_

_Say goodbye!_

_As we dance with the devil of night!_

_Don't you dare look at him in the eye!_

_As we dance with the devil tonight!!!!_

_Hold on!_

_Hold on…_

_Oooooh_

The crowd went wild as we finished. We all walked forward and took a bow, girls shrieking the whole time. "Give it up for Shinobi!" an announcer called from somewhere hidden. We walked off stage, only to see Itachi and his gang walking up. Sasori, also known as "Puppet master" played guitar, the drummer I knew was named Deidara, and the shark man Kisame was their bassist. The older Uchiha was their singer, and a girl I knew as Konan was their keyboard player. Itachi just smirked as he walked past us to the stage. Our bit was done. Let's see what the oh so great Akatsuki had to offer.


	2. Akatsuki's Turn!

**What Brings Us Together**

**Chapter 2**

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the songs used in this chapter. I don't own Naruto either. T_T

The girls and me had decided to go watch Akatsuki play. We had heard Shinobi and knew this wasn't gonna be an easy competition. Itachi was at the front, holding the mic close to his face. That's when the beat began. I knew this song. It was Itachi's view of immortality. And it was a good one too.

**(Slept So Long by Jay Gordon)**

Walking

_Waiting_

_Alone without a care_

_Hoping_

_And hating_

_Things that I can't bear_

_Did you think it's cool to walk right up to take my life_

_And fuck it up?_

_Well did you? _

_Well did you?_

_I see hell in your eyes_

_Taken in by surprise_

_(Surprise)_

_Touching you making me feel alive_

_Touching you makes me die inside_

_Walking_

_Waiting_

_Alone without a care_

_Hoping_

_And hating_

_Things that I can't bear_

_Did you think it's cool to walk right up to take my life_

_And fuck it up?_

_Well did you? _

_I hate you!!!_

_I see hell in your eyes_

_Taken in by surprise_

_(Surprise)_

_Touching you making me feel alive_

_Touching you makes me die inside_

_I've slept so long without you_

_It's tearing me apart too_

_How'd it get this far_

_Playing games with this old heart_

_I've killed a million petty souls_

_But I couldn't kill you_

_I've slept so long without you _

_(Touching you makes me die inside)_

_I see hell in your eyes_

_(Touching you makes me die inside)_

_Taken in by surprise_

_(Touching you makes me die inside)_

_Touching you makes me feel alive_

_(Touching you makes me die inside)_

_Touching you makes me die inside_

_(Touching you makes me die inside)_

_(Eventually fades out)_

The crowd cheered as they ended the song. Typical vamp song. Made sense to me though. The blue haired then started a beautiful piano piece, with Itachi and Sasori singing gently.

_(Baby, join me in death)_

_(Baby, join me in death)_

Sasori then brought the guitar, giving the song an almost dark tone, with Deidara drumming well.

_(Baby, join me in death)_

_We are so young_

_Our lives have just begun_

_But already we are considering_

_Escape from this world_

_And we've waited for so long_

_For this moment to come_

_We're so anxious to be together_

_Together in death_

_Whoa, whoa_

_Won't you die tonight for love?_

_(Baby, join me in death)_

_Won't you die?_

_(Baby, join me in death)_

_Won't you die tonight for love?_

_(Baby, join me in death)_

_This world is a cruel place_

_And we're here only to lose_

_Only to lose_

_So before life tears us apart_

_Death bless me with you_

_Whoa, whoa _

_Won't you die tonight for love?_

_(Baby, join me in death)_

_Will you die?_

_(Baby, join me in death)_

_Won't you die tonight for love?_

_(Baby, join me in death)_

_Join me in death_

_Whoa, whoa_

_This life, it ain't worth livin'_

_This life, it ain't worth livin'_

_(Join me)_

_(Join me)_

_(Join me)_

_This life, it ain't worth livin'_

_(Join me)_

_(Join me)_

_(Join me)_

_This life ain't worth livin!!!!!_

_Won't you die tonight for love?_

_(Baby, join me in death)_

_Will you die?_

_(Baby, join me in death)_

_Won't you die tonight for love?_

_(Baby, join me in death)_

_Baby, join me in death…_

God, this was going to be harder than hell to beat them and Sasuke's group. We'd have to go all out for this one. Akatsuki still had 2 more songs, and knowing my cousin, he was gonna save the best for last. An eerie gothic chorus began for a few counts, and then the guitars and drums came in, the drums pounding in the back. Konan sang first the first verse. (AN: Konan's parts will be bold italics. Itachi's will be normal italics. Underlined italics are whispered lines.)

**(Nymphetamine by Cradle of Filth)**

Led to the river

_**Midsummer I waved**_

_**A "V" of black swans on with hope to the grave**_

_**Through red September**_

_**With skies fire paved**_

_**I begged you appear like**_

_**A thorn for the holy ones**_

Cold was my soul

_Untold was the pain_

_I faced when you left me_

_A rose in the rain_

_So I swore to that razor_

_That never enchained_

_Would you dark nails of faith_

_Be pushed through my veins again_

Bared on your tomb

_**I'm a prayer for your loneliness**_

_**And would you ever soon**_

_**Come above unto me**_

_**For once upon a time**_

_**From the binds of your lowliness**_

_**I could always find the right slot for your sacred key**_

Six feet deep is the incision!

_In my heart, that barless prison!_

_Discolors all with tunnel vision!_

_(Sun setter)_

_Nymphetamine!_

_Sick and weak from my condition!_

_This lust, this vampiric addiction_

_To her alone in full submission_

_(None better)_

_Nymphetamine_

_Nymphetamine, Nymphetamine_

_Nymphetamine girl_

_Nymphetamine, Nymphetamine_

_My nymphetamine girl_

Wracked with your charm

_I circled like prey_

_Back in the forest_

_Where whispers persuade_

_More sugar trails_

_More white lady laid_

_Than pillars of salt_

Fold to my arms

_**In their mesmeric sway**_

_**And dance her to the moon**_

As we did in those golden daysCrimson in stars

_I remember the rain_

Bared on your tomb

_**I'm prayer for your loneliness**_

_**And would you ever soon**_

_**Come above onto me**_

_**For once upon a time**_

_**From the mind of your holiness**_

_**I could always find the right slot for your sacred key**_

Six feet deep is the incision

_In my heart, that barless prison_

_Discolors all with tunnel vision!_

_(Sun setter)_

_Nymphetamine!_

_Sick and weak from my condition!_

_This lust, this vampiric addiction_

_To her alone in full submission_

_(None better)_

_Nymphetamine!!!!_

_(Sun Setter)_

_Nymphetamine!_

Oooooh

_(None better)_

_Nymphetamine!!!!!_

_Nymphetamine, nymphetamine_

_Nymphetamine girl_

_Nymphetamine, nymphetamine_

_My nymphetamine girl…_

The crowd was cheering away, the occasional screaming "I LOVE YOU AKATSUKI!!!" Shit… I was getting nervous. That stupid feeling gripping my stomach was down right irritating. Sakura kept her cool, Tenten was too busy flipping a butterfly knife, but Hinata was ready to pass out. Glad to see I wasn't the only one. But, while I was wallowing in a pool of stress, the sound of hard guitar brought me out of my worry. It started sudden and all out, grabbing everyone's attention quickly.

**(How Can I Live by Ill Nino)**

_I am so alike you _

_In so many ways_

I know I'm just a copy That carries on those things

_(WHY?)_

_We make the same mistakes_

_(QUE?)_

_We all will end the same_

_(WHY?)_

_We leave behind the stain_

_THAT CANNOT SEPARATE!!!_

_All that lies in me_

_All that dies in me_

_How can I live without you?_

_All that lies in me_

_All that dies in me_

_How can I live without you?_

_I am your mirror image_

_Of all you left behind_

_You made me what I am_

_Then who the hell am I_

_(WHY?)_

_We make the mistakes_

_(QUE?)_

_We all will end the same_

_(WHY?)_

_We leave behind the stain_

_THAT CANNOT SEPARATE!!!_

_All that lies in me_

_All that dies in me_

_How can I live without you?_

_All that lies in me_

_All that dies in me_

_How can I live without you?_

_WHY!!!!_

_Yo no intendio por que!_

_I know that our lives are the same!_

_Y mi vida!_

_Just a guessing game!_

_The very same_

_And I cannot live!_

_All want I you now_

_But you just walk away, _

_Walk away_

_I WILL NOT LIVE!!!_

_Do you think of me?_

_Do you dream of me?_

_I always dream about you_

_Do you think of me?_

_Do you dream of me?_

_I always dream about you_

_All that lies in me_

_All that dies in me_

_How can I live without you?_

_All that lies in me_

_All that dies in me_

_How can I live without you?_

The hard guitar riff continued for a little longer, and ended as abruptly as it came. The crowd cheered as they all walked up, Deidara bowing dramatically, Sasori just smiled, sending a few girls screaming, Konan blew a kiss out to them, Kisame just shouted at the crowd with energy, while Itachi just smirked. They walked off in our direction, while the announcer cheered for them and pumped the crowd up again for the next band, which just so happened to be us. I gulped in anticipation. "Well! If it isn't little Nori!" Kisame boomed over the noise of the crowd. Kisame was like my own personal shark. Anyone was bugging me; he took a chunk out of them, whether it was mentally or physically. He grasped me in a bear hug, lifting me clean off the ground. "How's my home girl doing?" he boomed again. "Don't you mean my home girl?" Sasori's voice was right next to my ear; the silky, almost emotionless tone could scare you if you met him in an alley. His right arm was draped lazily over my shoulders. "Nu-uh. My girl!" Deidara's telltale voice was next to my other ear. He then planted a small kiss on my cheek before ripping off Sasori's wooden arm. Man, I'm just surrounded by people who weren't human. Sasori's body had been destroyed in an accident, but his soul still remained. Itachi had found him, and brought Sasori's body to the Shaman Woman of downtown Konoha. She had put Sasori's soul into a puppet. Could my friends and family possibly be weirder? O well. Sasori ran after Deidara, murder in his eyes as Deidara laughed. Kisame chased after them, trying to stop Deidara's imminent death by Sasori's wooden grip. Konan came up, giggling at her friend's antics. Konan was pretty cool, but I just didn't trust her for some reason. Call it a gut instinct I guess. The announcer then began speaking again. Now, for the local ladies hailing from Konoha! Here's Angels Cry!!" he waved his hands, motioning us forward. Oooooh boy…


	3. Angels Cry's Part!

**What Brings Us Together **

**Chapter 3**

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN ANY SONGS USED IN THE FIC!!! I DON'T OWN NARUTO EITHER!

I stood on the sidelines, tired of Naruto's stupidity, Kiba's annoying voice, and Sasuke's moodiness. Fucker must be on his fucking period or something. I hid in the shadows, seeing as stealth came natural to us vampires. The girls walked to the stage. The drummer was pretty, but too pink for my taste. The bassist had a funny do, but was pretty. The guitarist would be extremely attractive if she wasn't so damn shy. They weren't the ones that caught my attention though. My eyes had found the Uchiha girl. Now that was a beautiful woman right there. Her black hair was up. Notice the past tense. The black clip holding her raven locks back was now in her hand. She tossed it to the stagehand before shaking her hair. It reached her hips, long and straight like a waterfall. She looked back at her band mates; her eyes were a sparkling set of onyx orbs. Her smile was genuine; she was truly enjoying herself. "Hiya people! We're Angels Cry. You sure you're ready for us?" the crowd shrieked their response. "Gotcha! Hit it Hina-chan!" The shy Hyuga girl began strumming with the Uchiha, their strums perfectly in sync. Then the Haruno girl started with the drums a split second before the Uchiha girl brought her lips to the microphone.

**(Decode by Paramore)**

_How can I decide what's right_

_When you're clouding up my mind?_

_I can't win_

_You're losing sight_

_All the time_

_Not gonna ever own what's mine_

_When you're always taking sides_

_But you won't take away my pride_

_No, not this time_

_Not this time_

_How did we get here?_

_I used to know you so well_

_How did we get here?_

_Well, I think I know_

_The truth is hiding in your eyes_

_And it's hanging on your tongue_

_Just boiling in my blood_

_But you think that I can't see_

_What kind of man that you are_

_If you're a man at all_

_Well, I will figure this one out_

_On my own_

_(I'm screaming, "I love you so")_

_On my own_

_(My thoughts you can't decode)_

_How did we get here?_

_I used to know you so well, yeah_

_How did we get here?_

_Well, I think I know_

_Do you see what we've done?_

_We've gone and made such fools_

_Of ourselves_

_Do you see what we've done?_

_We've gone and made such fools_

_Of ourselves_

_How did we get here?_

_I used to know you so well, yeah_

_How did we get here?_

_Well, I used to know you so well_

_I think I know_

_I think I know_

_There is something I see in you_

_It might kill me_

_I want it to be true_

The crowd went wild when the song ended. The girl could sing and play guitar pretty good, and the rest of the girls were pretty good themselves. When an orchestra bit began, the crowd almost stilled completely. They were anxious. I could tell. Just when I thought the Uchiha girl couldn't surprise me anymore… she did.

**(Angels by Within Temptation)**

_Sparkling angel_

_I believe_

_You are my savior_

_In my time of need_

Blinded by faith

_I couldn't hear_

_All the whispers_

_They're warning so clear_

_I see the angels_

_I'll lead them to your door_

_There is no escape now_

_Now mercy no more_

_No remorse cause I still remember_

_The smile when you tore me apart_

_You took my heart_

_Deceived me right from the start_

_You showed me dreams_

_I wished they'd turn in to real_

_You broke a promise_

_And made me realize_

_It was all just a lie_

_Sparkling angel_

_Couldn't see_

_Your dark intensions_

_Your feelings for me_

_Fallen angel_

_Tell me why_

_What is the reason?_

_The thorn in our eye_

_I see the angels_

_I'll lead them to your door_

_There is no escape now_

_No mercy no more_

_No remorse cause I still remember_

_The smile when you tore me apart_

_You took my heart_

_Deceived me right from the start_

_You showed me dreams_

_I wished they'd turn in to real_

_You broke a promise_

_And made me realize_

_It was all just a lie_

_Could have been forever_

_Now we have reached the end_

_This world may have failed you_

_It doesn't give the reason why_

_You could have chosen_

_A different path of life_

_The smile when you tore me apart_

_You took my heart_

_Deceived me right from the start_

_You showed me dreams_

_I wished they'd turn in to real_

_You broke a promise_

_And made me realize_

_It was all just a lie_

_Could have been forever_

_Now we have reached the end_

Damn, that girl could hit a note. That's all there was to it. The crowd was going absolutely nuts right now. The Uchiha girl went to the side and took a giant swig out of a water bottle they had ready for her. "Ok. Enough of that stuff. You ready to take it to the next level?" she asked the crowd. "YES!!!!!!" was the booming reply. "You sure you can take it?" the Uchiha pressed on. The crowd was screaming, showing their readiness. I smirked. She could get a lot of energy from a crowd that had been going on for some time now. Haruno clicked her sticks into a countdown. This was it. They were going to go all out on these last two songs. The Hyuga walked to the keyboard set, setting it to classic piano as the orchestrated part was played.

**(Imaginary by Evanescence)**

I linger in the doorway

_Of alarm-clock screaming_

_Monsters calling my name_

_Let me stay_

_Where the wind will whisper to me_

_Where the raindrops as they're falling_

_Tell a story_

_In my field of paper flowers_

_And candy clouds lullaby_

_I lie inside myself for hours_

_And watch my purple sky fly over me_

_Don't say I'm out of touch_

_With this rampant chaos_

_Your reality_

_I know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge_

_The nightmare I built my own world to escape_

_In my field of paper flowers_

_And candy clouds lullaby_

_I lie inside myself for hours_

_And watch my purple sky fly over me_

_*Hinata's piano and Noriko's acoustic guitar part*_

_Swallowed up in the sun, they'll be screaming_

_Cannot cease for the fear of silent nights_

_Oh heavy sleep so they'll keep dreaming _

_The darkness of imaginary light_

_*waving guitar riff*_

_In my field of paper flowers_

_And candy clouds lullaby_

_I lie inside myself for hours_

_And watch my purple sky fly over me_

Uchiha kept singing quietly, the guitar still going strong, till her final strum. It echoed out, and the crowd was wild…again. Another countdown started, and this one went harder then the others.

**(Going Under by Evanescence)**

Now I will tell you what I've done for you

_Fifty thousand tears I've cried_

_Screaming, deceiving, and bleeding for you_

_And you still won't hear me_

_(Going under!)_

_Don't plan to end this time_

_I'll save myself_

_Maybe I'll wake up for once_

_(Wake up for once!)_

_And I'm tormented daily_

_Defeated by you _

_Just one night_

_Thought I'd reached the bottom_

_I dive again_

_I'm going under_

_Drowning in you_

_I'm falling forever_

_Got to break through_

_I'm going under!_

_Blurring and stirring the truth and the lies_

_(__So I don't know what's real and what's not_

So I don't know what's real and what's not) Always confusing the thoughts in my head

_Oooooh_

_So I can't trust myself anymore_

_I dive again_

_I'm going under_

_Drowning in you_

_I'm falling forever_

_Got to break through_

_I'm…_

_So go on and scream_

_Scream at me_

_So far away_

_I won't be broken again_

_I got to break_

_I can't keep going under_

_*Noriko's solo*_

_I dive again_

_I'm going under_

_Drowning in you_

_I'm falling forever_

_Got to break through_

_I'm going under!_

_(Going under)_

_I'm going under!_

_(Drowning in you)_

_I'm going under!_

The Uchiha was breathing hard, and her bangs were plastered to her forehead in sweat. The others were breathing just as hard, and were just as sweaty. They all ran forward, grabbing hands and taking a bow, before jumping up and down and offstage to the sidelines. The crowd was jeering the entire time. Panda ears blew kisses and Haruno hugged Hyuga while jumping up and down. They walked back to the green room, and I followed. Everyone from both bands was inside. The announcer was currently tallying votes to see who won. It would take a while till we would know the results. I smirked to myself. This contest was gonna be a close one.

(BIG FAVOR TO ASK REVIEWERS!!!)

Ok, hiya ppls! I need to ask you reviewers out there to participate in a vote. By reading these three chapters, you know it is a battle of the bands kind of thing going on. In your opinion… who wins? Shinobi? Akatsuki? Or Angels Cry? PLEASE VOTE OR ELSE THERE WILL BE NO MORE STORY!!!!!!! Thank you so much for your time!!!

-CometDance693-


	4. The Outcome

**What Brings Us Together**

**Chapter 4**

Tension filled the room. Sakura was gazing dreamily at my cousin, who was surprisingly flirting with her. Hinata was blushing madly while staring at Naruto. So TenTen was right about her having a crush on the blonde bonehead. Speaking of TenTen, she was doing some mad flirting with the werewolf, Kiba. His giant dog/familiar was barking playfully at TenTen, begging for some attention. Akatsuki was keeping to themselves, except for Itachi, who was talking with Naruto. I felt a gaze land on me and turned to meet empty jade eyes. Gaara was staring at me with such intensity I couldn't help but shiver. I saw him smirk. I pouted and turned to call Akamaru over, who came happily. He licked my hands and barked, his tail wagging away when an announcer came in. "Ok guys! We've got the results!" he saw all of us swivel our heads to him instantly and chuckled nervously. "Heh well the people have voted… and it turns out that there is a tie." I could already see the bomb ready to go off. All it needed was for someone to flip the switch and set it off. "Shinobi and Angels Cry will split the money. Each of you'll get $350." The announcer said, giving me a check then passing the other to Gaara. "Thank you all for participating! Have a nice night!" he smiled broadly before leaving the room. As soon as he did, chaos endued. Deidara almost exploded with rage; Sasori calming him down while Kisame cussed with words even I didn't know. Itachi just smiled, patting a furious Konan while Naruto, Kiba, TenTen, and Sakura shouted and cheered. "Mall trip!!" Sakura screamed. Leave it to the planner. I found myself squealing right along with them. After things died down, we packed up and left the stadium to the parking lot. The boys hopped into Naruto's jeep while Akatsuki just kept walking; Kisame didn't live far from the stadium. "Ok, so we'll all meet you boys at the mall tomorrow at 12?" Sakura asked, tilting her head coquettishly at Sasuke. He just smirked at her. "Sure thing…blossom." He said before Naruto backed out and sped off. "Ok it's official." Sakura just looked at me after my statement. "What is?" I just laughed. "YOU AND MY COUSIN ARE TWITTER-PATED!!!!!" I squealed, stepping out of the way as she went to shove me. Tenten and Hinata were laughing with me as we walked to the black Mustang that Sakura and me shared. I got into the driver's seat while TenTen loaded the garment bags. Hinata jumped in the back, followed by TenTen, and Sakura sitting in the passenger seat. After dropping TenTen off at her apartment and Hinata at the Hyuga estate, we went home to out apartment. Sakura was a great roomie; we'd been friends since the 3rd grade. We walked in and reheated the Chinese food we'd gotten earlier and plopped down in front of the TV. We saw the news broadcasts about the Battle of the Bands, and laughed. She beat me to the shower, so I finished my weekend English homework until she got out. Sakura was out when I finished. "Did you finish Iruka-sensei's homework Saku?" I asked. She probably hadn't. "Uh… no." She shrugged sheepishly. "You better do it now so you won't have to rush last minute tomorrow night." I suggested grabbing my robe and a towel as I headed to the bathroom. "You're right." She said and closed the door to her room. I washed up quickly as I realized how tired I was. I dried my hair quickly and changed into my pajamas before heading into my room. It didn't take long for me to fall asleep.

"Can't you ever order anything but ramen Naruto?" Kiba groaned at the blonde. Naruto just slurped his ramen happily. Sasuke was poking his order of chicken salad with his fork, watching it wiggle. I just took a bite out of a burger that probably would've been delicious… if I could taste human food. But, we needed to look human so I had to eat food in public. "There they are!" Naruto pointed and shouted through a mouthful of ramen. Sasuke smacked him up side the head. "Manners dobe. If you have any." He hissed quietly before looking at where Naruto had pointed. The girls of Angels Cry were walking towards us. I'm glad I didn't dress grunge today. I only worried about my looks when SHE was around. I didn't know her well. Sasuke talked about her occasionally, but when I saw her, I don't know what happened.

_"C'mon Gaara! You have to meet her! I just did and she's as sweet as can be!" Temari-sama squealed over the music as she grabbed my wrists. We were at a party promoting Shinobi's first gig. I let Temari-sama drag me through the crowd until we stopped in front of 2 girls. I knew Sakura pretty well because of Naruto, but the girl with her just took my breath away. She was beautiful, with moon-pale skin that made her look celestial. Her hair was a long, blue-black waterfall that was just past her butt. She looked at me, and caught my eyes with her black gaze. "Noriko-chan, I want you to meet my fledgli-, err, brother, Gaara. Gaara, this is Noriko Uchiha." Temari smiled, correcting her mistake before looking at both of us. Noriko smiled and held a hand out to me. "Hi Gaara. Nice to meet you."_

I looked at her as she walked up with the girls. She met my gaze, but blushed and looked down. I smirked. "Here we are guys!!!" Sakura giggled as the came up to our table. We sat and talked before exploring the mall, my eyes never leaving her.

Several hours, and many stores later…

"Saku! You can't leave me!" I wailed dramatically as she dropped me off at the apartment. "Stop being a baby Nori. I'll see you at school tomorrow ok?" she said. I nodded and she drove off. She was going to meet my cousin for dinner, and more than likely spend the night at the mansion. Oh well. I went upstairs, locked up and plugged my phone to charge as I sat on my bed. I looked through my contacts, and stopped on Gaara's. I opened it, and saw the picture I'd taken with him for the id. I smiled to myself. He was so cute when he was serious. I still couldn't believe I was crushing on him… I shook my head and changed into my pajamas and quickly curled up and went to sleep.

**SORRY IT'S SO SHORT!!!! I've been busy and lots of stuff has been going on. Not to mention PEOPLE DIDN'T VOTE!!! So, if you didn't like the outcome, then too bad. You should've voted. AS for the people who did… THANKS!!! And sorry, but the votes were tied. (I counted votes from BOTH versions of the story) More chapters coming in minutes!!!! LITERALLY!!!!!! Lol**

**XxXLiliumAngelXxX**


	5. UghSchool

What Brings Us Together

**Chapter 5**

School is always a bummer, especially on a Monday. Mondays just suck for some reason. My alarm on my phone went off, playing the screaming part of "Cassie" by Flyleaf. I hit the snooze, but 5 minutes later, my phone went off again.

"I…Will…Say…YEAH!!!!!!!!!" I hit the stop button and stretched. Why did school have to start a 7:30? (AN: I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico and most of the public schools start at 7 or 7:30.) I groaned and looked at my phone. I had a text message. Wait, just got another one. I opened the first one. It was from Sakura.

**Hey Nori. Jst wanted to tell u I stayed wit Sasuke. ;) Giv u details when we get to school k? *{~br3thl3ss~}* (AN: there are signatures for the characters)**

I just rolled my eyes, smiling at my funny friend. I'm just glad she got her dream boy… even if he was a douche. I responded:

**k. but u got the car… HOW THE HELL AM I GONNA GET A RIDE???? =z .::+l0v3l3ss+::.**

After it sent I looked at the other message. I almost dropped my phone when I saw the id. It was Gaara!

**Hey sakura told me u need a ride. Wat time should I go get u? ==SANDMAN==**

My jaw dropped. THE Sabaku no Gaara was offering me a ride to school. Wait, DID SAKURA TELL HIM I LIKED HIM? I trusted her with the vital information. My phone vibrated, catching my attention. It was Sakura again.

**I've got that taken care of. Has Gaara txted u yet? *{~br3thl3ss~}***

I replied quickly while I headed to the bathroom.

**Yea he did. Srry for yelling. C u at skool .::+l0v3l3ss+::.**

Then I answered Gaara's text.

**Yea she's got the car so well yea. Um… can u be here at 7? .::+l0v3l3ss+::.**

I washed my face and brushed my teeth while I waited for his reply. My phone vibrated on the sink, and I flipped it open.

**Yea I can. Be sure to bring a coat. It's colder then a bitch outside and I don't have a heater. ==SANDMAN==**

I blushed slightly. Was he concerned for my well-being? Wow, never thought I'd see the day he'd care about someone that way.

**Ok I will. ;) C u at 7 .::+l0v3l3ss+::.**

I pressed the 'send' button before I could stop myself. I'd just sent a winking face to a vamp that just so happens to be very unloving to the world. I was surprised when he replied. Crap, probably gonna tell me to not send flirty smileys to him. I froze at what I saw.

**;) 2 u 2. ==SANDMAN==**

I snapped myself out of my trance by shaking my head. Gaara had sent a winking smiley to me. I quickly saved the message before brushing my hair. I decided to put it into an Itachi style ponytail and got dressed in the uniform for school. The white short-sleeved polo was underneath a long sleeved black sweater, my red tie tucked into the sweater. The black pleated skirt had to have been picked out by Jiraiya-sensei; it was short. I wore some black micro-mini spandex shorts under the skirt, just in case someone was looking for a show. I put on my white thigh-high tights and my black slip-on uniform shoes before grabbing my phone and heading into the kitchen. I grabbed a glass and filled it with milk, popping a Toaster Strudel into the toaster as I went. I drank the milk quietly while I hummed Sally's Song from the Nightmare Before Christmas. (AN: I don't own Toaster Strudel or The Nightmare Before Christmas.) My strudel popped out and I frosted it, taking a bite before applying some black eyeliner around my eyes and putting a small diamond nose stud. I ate the rest of the strudel and then applied some clear, shimmery gloss that tasted like lemonade. My phone vibrated again, and I saw a text message flash across the screen as I opened it.

**I'm outside. ==SANDMAN==**

My stomach tightened. I giggled like an idiot and grabbed my schoolbag and keys. I pulled on my Linkin Park hoodie and walked out. I locked the door to the apartment and ran downstairs. There he was in the parking lot, standing next to his black and red crotch rocket. He wore an ACDC hoodie over his uniform. His intense jade eyes looked at me with interest as I walked up.

"Morning Gaara-kun!" I waved before stopping in front of him.

"Morning Nori-chan." He greeted as he handed me a black visor helmet. His own was red. I placed it over my head and fixed my backpack so it was tight on my shoulders. He swung a leg over as he placed his on. I got on behind him, and he started the engine.

"You better hold on, Uchiha. Don't want ya to get blown clean off." He teased me. He was actually saying full-blown sentences instead of just saying one word! I giggled and decided to see how far I could get. He always shuddered when it came to human contact on our previous meetings. I wrapped my arms around his waist, hugging him tightly from behind.

"Here we go" Was all I heard before we were speeding off and out of the parking lot. I gave out a small scream and increased my grip on his waist. I could have sworn I heard him laugh as we sped down the streets of the City Hidden in the Leaves. He was right though about it being cold. Thick white clouds blocked out the sun, and the little breeze was frozen. These were snow clouds though. How much you wanna bet it'll be snowing by lunchtime? We stopped at a red light, only to see Sakura next us, with my cousin in the passenger seat. I smirked before Gaara hit the gas and we sped off once the light was green. He slowed down as we pulled into the parking lot of Konoha High School. Students were hanging out all over the place, laughing and talking.

A fight had already broken out in the parking lot. I looked closely only to see the two most desperate girls in the school going at it. The blonde was Ino Yamanaka; a girl who'd been after Sasuke ever since she figured out she liked boys. The other was a girl I barely knew, but I did know that her name was Karin. She was Sasuke's ex, and was desperate to get him back. Boy, were they in for a surprise when they would see Sasuke riding in the car with Sakura. I just laughed as Gaara pulled into a parking spot, cutting the engine and taking of his helmet. He shook his messy red locks before putting the helmet into his bag. I got off the bike and took the helmet off, handing it to him. He just shook his head.

"Go ahead and keep it. You might need it later." He smirked slightly at me. I smirked back and held onto it. I'd put it in my locker on the way to class. We began walking towards the field in the back of the school. That's where are groups hung out before classes started. As we were walking, Ino shrieked at the top of her lungs. Gaara and me looked back, only to see Sakura pull into a space and Sasuke getting out. He walked to the driver's side and opened the door, holding a hand out to my friend. She took it and shut the door as they walked towards us, Sasuke's arm around her shoulder and Sakura's arm across the back of his waist. Ino and Karin were glaring daggers at her back.

"Hey guys!" Sakura waved with her free hand. I waved back. Sasuke just nodded his head. Gaara responded with his own nod. We continued walking to the field till we reached the bleachers. Tenten was their, spinning a plastic knife in her fingers while taking to Kiba, and then Hinata and Naruto were hooked up to Hinata's ipod; Naruto drumming on invisible cymbals and snares while Hinata was playing an air guitar. I wasn't used to seeing her so open with people. Maybe it was because she's liked Naruto for a while now. I looked to the field and saw Akatsuki playing football. Itachi was just tackled to the ground by Kisame and Deidara. But, the bell rang, students groaning as they grabbed their bags and headed to class.

We all had homeroom, and Kakashi-sensei didn't care what we did in that class so we headed to his room. I stopped by my locker and put the helmet Gaara gave me onto the shelf and grabbed my copy of Breaking Dawn before slamming it shut. (AN: I don't own Breaking Dawn. Stephenie Meyer does.)I stuffed the book in my bag and headed to room 304. Sakura waved from her place on Sasuke's lap and motioned to the seat next to her…that I realized was inhabited by Gaara. Oh well. He'd have to deal with me sitting on the table part of the desk then. I plopped my bag on the ground and sat on the desk, crossing my legs as I turned to my best friend. Her green eyes were wide with excitement as she blabbered on about Ino and Karin's reaction to her and my cousin this morning. That's when several cell phones went off, including mine. I looked at the video message, only to see Karin getting knocked out by a direct punch to her face. You could hear a student yelling "K.O!" as the message ended. I laughed as I shut my phone. Those girls were so freaking stupid.

"Hard to believe you were actually WITH Karin before, huh cousin?" he rolled his eyes and groaned, pulling Sakura towards him.

"Don't remind me." Naruto walked over and plopped down in the desk behind Hinata's. I could already see Hinata's face starting to turn red. 3, 2, 1. She passed out, her head landing on her arm that was resting on the desk. Naruto started panicking.

"Calm down Naruto. She just fainted. She'll come to in about a minute tops." I reassured the whisker-faced vamp. The door opened, and Kakashi-sensei strode in, his copy of Make Out Violence in his hand as he closed the door and plopped down into his seat and resumed his reading. I looked over and saw Hinata starting to wake up.

"You ok Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked quietly. She just nodded and sat up.

"Hey. Where's Tenten and Kiba?" she asked innocently. We all proceeded to scan the room, and they weren't in sight.

"They said something about going to TenTen's car and getting something." I looked at Gaara, his black-rimmed eyes closed with his arms crossed. He opened one eye and lifted his hands making air quotations.

"'Something' being the key word." My friend was out with a werewolf. Perfect. Sakura grabbed my arm, catching my attention.

"I got to tell you something. Away from our little bat boys here." I got off the desk while she pulled out of Sasuke's lap. We didn't bother asking sensei for a pass. He didn't care anyways. We walked to the bathroom, which was surprisingly empty. She turned to me with a smile across her face.

"You'll never guess what I figured out!" She jumped excitedly.

"What is it?" I asked as I checked my hair in the mirror. "Gaara-kun is interested in you." I froze, and then turned to look at her.

"Me and him were texting last night and I brought you up, doing the whole 'do you like her' routine. He does, and is planning on making a move later today!" she squealed. Oh my god… I almost pulled a Hinata and passed out, but I kept my cool and hugged Sakura, squeezing her slightly.

"You're an angel Sakura!" She just smiled.

"So I've been told." She shrugged and we walked out of the bathroom and back towards class. As we walked in, a paper plane zoomed past my face, missing by inches. I just rolled my eyes and sat down on my previous desktop, with Gaara looking at me intensely. Sasuke pulled Sakura back into his lap and pulled her close. Sakura and me kept talking till the bell rang. I grabbed my bag and headed towards the music building with Hinata. We had chorus while everyone else had Journalism and Drama.

Our teacher was a nice girl from Sunagakure, but was known for her loud yelling at students who pissed her off. Yep, Temari-sensei was a livewire. We walked in and took our seats in the back. That's when Hinata turned to me and asked very timidly.

"D-do you th-th-think N-Naruto likes m-me?" she was so random but you couldn't help but love her.

"He definitely does Hina-chan. I can tell just by the way he looks at you." She just looked at me, and I smiled reassuringly. The bell rang as Temari-sensei walked in, a mug of coffee in her hand and a bagel in the other. For being a vampire, she sure looked human. But, she loved humans, so she was a cool person to know.

"Morning guys!" she called after taking a sip of coffee.

"Morning sensei" we greeted in unison.

"Let's get started then shall we. As you know, our concert is on Friday and we've made excellent progress. We had room for one more song, and I threw one in. The catch though; it's a solo piece that I want you to audition for." Hinata whispered to me shyly.

"You should try out for it. I heard her singing it last week. It's a pretty piece." I nodded. I looked to see Ino whispering amongst her snot-faced groupies. I knew she'd try too. I glared and brought my attention back to Temari-sensei.

"Any volunteers?" A few hands shot up, followed by mine and Ino's.

"Ok then. Hinata, would you play the piano part for them?" Hinata nodded and walked to the piano at the front.

"Ok let's start with Tayuya." I gagged at the mention of her name. The girl was a royal bitch, and her friends were a band of jerks. Temari-sensei handed the sheet music to the magenta-haired stick in the mud. Temari gave the count, and Tayuya started. She sounded like a broken record.

"Sorry Tayuya. You're not ready for this piece. Next!" girls tried out, but were shot down as gently as possible. Ino was put down for pronunciation of the words.

"Noriko? You ready?" I just smirked and nodded. My aunt/adopted mother had trained me in opera since I was eleven, and I took Latin in my freshman and sophomore years. This would be a breeze. I took the sheet music, readying for the signal. It was brought, and I let my voice go from its restraints.

(Lilium by Kumiko Noma)

_Os iusti meditabitur sapientiam Et lingua eius loqueter indicium_

_Beautus vir qui_

_Suffert tentationem_

_Quanium cum _

_Probatus fuerit accipient coronam vitae_

_Kyrie, ignis divine, eleison_

_O quam sancta_

_Quam serena_

_Quam benigma_

_Quam amoena_

_O castitatis lilium_

_(Vocal solo)_

_Kyrie, ignis divine, eleison_

_O quam sancta_

_Quam serena_

_Quam benigma_

_Quam amoena_

_O castitatis lilium…_

People clapped, and Hinata stood up and hugged me.

"Now that's some serious vocal talent. Congrats Nori. You got the solo." I jumped and hugged her before taking my seat. She practiced with the few guys we had on their part for a song, leaving us girls to chill out till the bell rang. When it did, Hinata and me grabbed our bags, heading to the door. I heard snickering, and Hinata was tripped by Ino. I helped my friend up and then looked at Ino.

"What the hell is you problem Ino?" she just glared at me.

"You are my problem, Uchiha. You and your 'kiss my ass' attitude." My anger started to rise.

"Then launch your petty shit at me, not my friends." Ino just laughed.

"She should've been watching where she was going. It's not my fault." She put her hands up, laughing the whole time.

"Don't play stupid Yamanaka. No wonder Sasuke never showed any interest. He's not even as cold-hearted as you." Her smile vanished.

" Don't talk about shit you don't know about!" she walked up to hit me, but I just shoved her. I got in her face, her blue eyes filled with terror.

"Start something Yamanaka. I fucking DARE you. Hit me, go ahead and do it. Just know this. I will take you down." I felt Hinata tugging on my arm. I backed away from Ino and turned, slamming the door open as I went. Hinata was telling me to calm down, her hand on my shoulder. I got to class and sat down in the desk in the back. Sakura walked in, holding hands with Sasuke. She saw my angry expression and walked over.

"What's the matter?" she asked urgently.

"Ino was being a bitch and tripped Hinata on our way out of the chorus room. She pissed me off and tried to fight me." Sakura rolled her eyes and sat in the desk in front of me.

"Forget about her girl. That's just the way she is." I pinched the bridge of my nose and squeezed my eyes shut. I hope Ino gets run over by a bus. I started to calm down and I released my nose and opened my eyes. Sakura grinned, the bell ringing as everyone ran in. Sasuke sat next to Sakura, Naruto behind Hinata, and Gaara beside me. Iruka-sensei called roll before starting a video on the history of the land of Fire and turning off the lights, leaving the classroom dark. I already knew this stuff, so I snoozed through most of it. The bell rang, and we headed back to Kakashi-sensei's room for literature. The class went by surprisingly fast, and we headed to the lunchroom. I stood in line with Hinata and Itachi, waiting for our food. After grabbing a tray with a salad and sandwich, I walked to the soda machine and bought a Pepsi before sitting at the table where Hinata was. Sakura was sitting with Sasuke, as expected. Gosh, what am I? Chopped liver?

"Hey guys mind if we sit here?" Naruto asked, Gaara standing beside him.

"Go ahead." I said, taking a bite out of the sandwich. The ham tasted kind of funny, but then again, didn't ALL school food taste funny?

"Still no sign of Kiba and Tenten?" I asked, taking a sip of Pepsi.

"Kiba texted a few minutes ago. Him and Tenten went to a movie." Great. 2 of my friends were dating creatures of the supernatural. I might join the group though. Life's sense of humor is so weird.

"You guys already hunted or what?" I looked at Naruto and he smiled.

"We're gonna hunt sometime tomorrow night. Gaara heard there are some grizzly's terrorizing one of the mountain ranges in this area." My vampire friends never hunted humans unless it was some crazy murderer walking the streets. The bell rang and I proceeded to chemistry. Kurenai-sensei gave us a test, earning a groan from half of the students, including Sakura and Naruto. Chemistry wasn't their forte. I breezed through it and turned it in at the same time as Sasuke. The bell rang, and I made my way to my least favorite class of all…Gym. Gai-sensei was a real weirdo, totally obsessed with youth and beauty. It was really annoying when he lectured us about it. We changed in the locker room, pulling on the tight white shirts with out names on the front and small spandex shorts. I already had some on, so no worry there. Gai-sensei had told us to come out barefoot, so we walked along the cold tile to the gym. There were giant blue mats everywhere, a long with a balance beam, a set of high bars, the rings, and a pommel horse. Shit… we were doing gymnastics.


	6. Unexpected Change

**What Brings Us Together**

**Chapter 6**

I groaned at the equipment before us. Gai-sensei was gonna give us a real good work out. The guys were shouting and shoving their way out of the locker room, but were silenced when they saw the equipment. Gai-sensei popped out of nowhere.

"Welcome my youthful beauties! Today we'll be starting our gymnastics unit that we started last year. You guys had reached a good level, and I've decided that you will start using the equipment that I assign you and your partner. Alright, I'll announce your teams now." He pulled out a clipboard and began to read off of it. Hinata and Sakura were a team, followed by Sasuke and Naruto. The others were paired off, till it was Gaara and I left.

"And finally, Sabaku no Gaara and Uchiha Noriko. You guys will be doing high bars. Ok let's get started! The springtime of youth is NOW!" he clapped and posed. I sweat dropped and walked to the high bars. At least we didn't get stuck with the rings. Gaara stood next to me, looking at the bars with interest. He then looked at me.

"Ladies first." He smirked.

"Easy for you to say. You got super human strength. I got nothing." I teased, wrapping my hands in the protective tape before dunking my hands in the dusty white powder. I stood in front of the lower bar, closing my eyes trying to remember the stuff about high bars from last year. I then opened my eyes and stepped back a few good strides. After taking a deep breath, I ran at full power to the bar. I jumped and grabbed it, using the momentum to lift myself up. I brought my legs up and swung them forward, flipping me over the bar. I swung around three more times before stopping at the top, my legs straight out in a handstand. I reversed directions, spinning 2 times before reversing again. As I came up, I let go, swinging out to the higher bar. I used the same method to gain momentum, spinning and reversing directions. My arms were getting tired, so I dismounted, somersaulting at least 3 times before landing on my feet. But, I lost my balance and fell backward. I never touched the ground though. I looked up to see Gaara staring down at me. His arms were wrapped around my waist, preventing the collision of my butt hitting the blue mats.

"Arigato Gaara-kun." I blushed slightly as he helped me up.

"Brilliant save Gaara! You would've lost points for that Nori, but nice routine. Keep up the good work!" Gai-sensei called out from his spot by the pommel horse. I sweat dropped again and turned to Gaara. I blushed more when I met his gaze. He was just so… intense. His pale jade eyes swept over me before he smirked and grabbed the protective tape. He wrapped his hands and dipped them into to powder before jumping onto the lower bar. He used his strength to his advantage as he swung on the bar. He switched bars with ease and reversed his direction fluidly. He was perfection I continued to watch his show of grace and strength, till he dismounted flipping and twisting till he landed on the mats. He didn't even wobble when he stood up straight. You could hear Gai-sensei crying tears of joy at the performance. We both sweat dropped as sensei cried his anime tears.

He called the groups back together and lectured us about grace and youth before dismissing us to the showers. The girls were giggling relentlessly and being their typical annoying selves. I didn't shower long, and was already dressing when the bell rang. I slipped my shoes on and put my hair in a low ponytail again before grabbing my bag and walking out. Sakura and Hinata rushed after me. I was surprised to see Gaara standing in front of my locker.

"You gonna need a ride again?" he asked, stepping out of the way to allow me access to the locker. I spun the combination and opened it. I pulled out the helmet and looked at him, smirking.

"Guess that's a yes." He chuckled as I slammed it shut. Sakura was going to give Sasuke, Hinata and Naruto a ride home, so the car would be packed. We pushed our way through the halls to the parking lot. Half the student body had already left, leaving the lot clear of traffic. Gaara was putting on his helmet when my phone rang I immediately knew it was Sakura by the ringtone. She had insisted on her ringer id being Nemo by Nightwish.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey I talked Sasuke into having us all over at the Manor tonight. We could all stay there for the night since it's an in service day tomorrow." She answered quickly. She only did this when she was excited.

"Who else is going?" I asked.

"Well I'm going, so is Hinata, Naruto, Tenten, Kiba, Deidara, Sasori, Konan, and of course Sasuke and Itachi will be there. Could you ask Gaara too?" I looked at Gaara.

"You wanna go to the Uchiha manor tonight? Sakura talked my cousin into letting everyone go over." He just nodded.

"He'll come. I guess I will too. I just got to go grab some stuff at the apartment. Want me to get your stuff?"

"Please Nori-chan?" she asked politely.

"Ok. See you later then."

"Sayonara Nori!" I hung up and stuffed my phone into my bag before putting it on my back and shoving my helmet on. I swung my leg over as he started the engine. After grabbing onto him, he sped off to my apartment. When we arrived, I invited him in so he wouldn't have to stay out in the cold. Good thing the apartment was clean.

"I'll be right back. I'm just gonna grab some stuff." He nodded and I walked to my room. I grabbed some pajamas, socks, panties, bra, and an outfit for tomorrow as well as my black and blue converse. I threw them in a bag along with my toothbrush and hairbrush. I grabbed the bag and walked into Sakura's room across the hall. Pajamas, an outfit, undergarments, socks, her pink converse, toothbrush, and hairbrush flew in to bag. I threw it onto my back and grabbed my purse and phone charger before walking to the living room. Gaara was standing in the same spot where I left him.

"Is it ok if I leave my bike here?" he asked. I was confused.

"Yeah, but how are we going to go anywhere?" my confused expression must've have been funny because he laughed.

"You'll see." Was his response before he walked to the door. I followed him, locking it behind me as we went downstairs. The complex was empty. Not a single person was in sight. He walked to a spot behind one of the buildings. I just followed and stood next to him, still confused. He grabbed me suddenly and held me tight as sand began to swirl around us. I closed my eyes and buried my face in his chest. When he released me, I looked around to see us in a lavish penthouse apartment. The entire wall facing south was made of glass, giving the best view of the city ever. The furniture was black leather, and there were scarlet walls and black curtains. A plasma TV mounted the wall opposite the couch, with a stereo system hooked up to speakers taller than me! The black carpeting was nice and soft under my feet. A slight breeze from behind me caught my attention, causing me to turn. Gaara stood behind me; only he was carrying a black and gray duffel bag. Vampires had it soooo easy when it came to speed and strength.

"Ready?" he asked. I nodded and he grabbed me again, sand swirling up around us again. I closed my eyes and buried my face in his chest, his arms holding onto me tightly as the sand whirled violently. When I opened my eyes, we were standing in front of the Uchiha manor. The white building was a second home to me.

I went to walk to the door, but found Gaara's arms still wrapped around me. I looked up into his black-rimmed eyes, meeting his gaze full on. His face inched closer to mine until his lips were a mere handful of centimeters away. His cool breath fanned against my lips provocatively, until the icy gossamer of his lips gently touched mine. It was an innocent butterfly kiss, gentle and caring. Then the door opened and we sprung apart, my face heating up. Naruto stood in the doorway, grinning wickedly.

"Heya guys! Was I interrupting something?" he waggled his eyebrows at his statement. I just shoved my way past him into the entrance hall. The grand room still held its splendor, with the giant black marble staircase in between two black double doors that led to the dining hall. I walked up the staircase, still fuming about Naruto's "brilliant" timing as I followed the sound of "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfeld through the long corridor with cherry wood doors on either side.

I finally opened one, finding Sakura braiding Hinata's purple-black hair, and TenTen singing along into a kunai. The room was the traditional dark blue color theme. The midnight blue curtains blocked the fading sunlight, and the dark walls gave it a calm vibe. The Olympic pool sized four-post bed was covered with silk sheets and pillowcases that matched the curtains. A white changing screen with sapphire blue peacocks adorning the woven screen was in the corner, blocking an ornate three-way mirror. TenTen's stereo was propped up on the black dresser set next to the silver vanity. The dark blue chiffon curtains on the canopy bed were drawn, making the bed seem more welcoming despite its enormous size. "Hi Nori!" They called out in unison.

"Hey guys!" I greeted back before I sat on the bed. The navy carpet wasn't as soft as the carpet in Gaara's apartment, but still nice under my feet. I tossed the bag with mine and Sakura's stuff onto the bed, rumpling the silk.

"So what's the plan?" I asked as I pulled out my hairbrush. Tenten jumped onto the bed, rolling onto her stomach as she faced me.

"The guys are gonna go and rent some scary movies and get the popcorn and drinks for a movie night in the Den." She stated matter-of-factly. Sakura snapped a hair tie onto the end of Hinata's braid before turning to face me and TenTen. Hinata crawled onto the bed next to Sakura.

"But before that, we're gonna play truth or dare, or 7 minutes in heaven, or something to that affect." Sakura's eyes glinted with a devious nature. Leave it to Sakura to play games like that.

"When are the guys gonna leave?" I asked as I ran the brush through my hair.

"Th-they're just w-waiting for D-D-Deidara, S-Sasori, and Konan." Hinata stuttered.

"So what's the deal with you and Kiba?" Sakura turned to TenTen, who just grinned like an idiot.

"He's a sexy BEAST. Don't know what it is. We're not a couple, but we decided to see each other every now and then. If we really like each other that much, we'll start a relationship." She twirled the kunai around her finger as she spoke.

"Ah, I see. Oh tell Nori the good news Hinata." Sakura winked, and Hinata closed her eyes. She did this when she was concentrating on NOT stuttering.

"Naruto-kun asked me out!" she squealed as pulled her knees up to her face.

"Good to see you're action wasn't interrupted…" I muttered. "Huh?" Tenten tilted her head to the side.

"Stupid Naruto interrupted me and Gaara just as he was kissing me." I whined, crossing my arms and pouting.

"Well, Naruto's timing is impeccable when it comes to situations like that." Sakura shrugged before diving to the duffel bag. She passed me my pajamas before pulling hers out. TenTen and Hinata went to their bags and did the same. We took turns changing behind the screen. When it was my turn, there was a knock. I peeked outside the screen, only to see Hinata opening the door and revealing Akatsuki's keyboardist. Konan smiled gently before Hinata let her in.

"I believe we've never been formally introduced. I'm Konan." She bowed respectfully, her blue hair covering her face as she went forward.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Sakura, the brown haired one is Tenten" Tenten waved her kunai-free hand.

"And the one who opened the door is Hinata. I think you already know Noriko." Konan looked in my direction and smiled. Gosh, all she did was smile.

"Yo." I nodded before ducking behind the screen. Sakura created some small talk while I changed. I just did not trust Konan. I don't know why, but something tells me she's got some ulterior motives. I walked out, putting my best smile on. Konan then took her turn behind the screen. I silently made a gagging motion, and Sakura covered mouth to muffle her giggling. Hinata sat on the edge of the bed with me in front of her as she brushed and braided my hip-length torrent of blue-black hair. When Konan came out, we observed each other's pajamas.

Konan wore a blue t-shirt with tight white Capri pants and socks. The flower she wore in her hair was replaced with a small barrette. Sakura wore the pink shirt that had a passed out Happy Bunny saying "Wake Me When The Boring Stops" and the matching pink pants with the same passed out bunny all over them with her pink fluffy bunny slippers. Hinata wore a silk lavender spaghetti top with the matching Capri pants and lavender ballet flats. TenTen wore her camouflage shirt with her dark green shorts that said "Screw You!" on her butt and black socks. I wore a tight navy tank top with the Uchiha fan on the back and white girl-boxers with my favorite pair of fluffy dark blue slippers.

"Um, Nori? I have absolutely no clue where the Den is. None of us do actually. Can you point us in the right direction?" TenTen asked. I led them to the entrance hall, down the stairs, through the double doors into the dining area. The huge table was neglected, but kept clean nonetheless. They marveled at the sight as I led them to a door on the left wall. Inside was a grand room with wooden floors and white walls covered in expensive paintings with old gas lamps mounted on either side of said paintings. A huge flat screen TV was mounted on the wall, connected to speakers that hid in the corners of the ceiling. A black leather couch, a matching recliner on either side of the couch, and a black beanbag were in front of the TV. There goes Konan with the constant smile again. TenTen's maniacal cackle betrayed her devious thoughts.

"What are you thinking you perv?" I teased.

"Nothing THAT bad! Sheesh. I was just thinking about what game we should play when the boys get here." Sakura proceeded to lift an eyebrow.

"How about Hide and Seek?" I smirked while the others grinned away. My mind sparked as an idea hit me. "Listen to this girls."

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"C'mon Gaara! Give me details!" Naruto waved his arms like an idiot at me. I just continued to scan the DVD's in the horror section of the Hastings we were in. Freddy vs. Jason caught my eye, and I proceeded to grab it, scanning the back of it.

"You interrupted Fox Boy. That's all there is to It." I replied.

"You're worst than Sasuke." He grumbled as he plucked 13 Ghosts off the shelf. I mentally rolled my eyes and saw Kiba and Sasuke arguing over who was scarier, Michael Myers or Leatherface.

"Dude, Leatherface had a freaking CHAINSAW!!! Getting your limbs sawed off is WAY scarier then getting stabbed by a kitchen knife." Kiba pointed to his copy of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Sasuke rolled his eyes before shoving Halloween into Kiba's face.

"Michael Myers had no sense of right and wrong, and would do ANYTHING just to kill you! With a guy who doesn't react to any pain and no fear, that's gotta just scare the shit out of people." I then butted in.

"Let's just get both and let the girls decide since they're actually human." They looked at me, and then back at the movies they held. They then sighed and nodded. Naruto walked up with a box of popcorn in one hand, and the Ghost movie in the other.

"Let's go! The lines are getting longer!" Sasori, Deidara, and Itachi held a place in line with boxes of canned soda. Sasuke paid, and we headed behind the building.

"Ready?" Itachi turned to Sasori and Deidara. They nodded.

"Naruto, you take Deidara, I'll take Sasori." We just nodded and started focusing on the magic given to us by our heritage. Naruto and Deidara were wrapped in a blanket of red flames before disappearing. Ravens swarmed Itachi and Sasori as they vanished, followed by Sasuke as lightning engulfed him, leaving Kiba and me.

"Hold your breath. This won't be pleasant." Kiba plugged his nose and closed his eyes as sand began to whirl around us. We appeared in front of the manor, joining the others. Deidara looked a little shaken, but no casualties. We walked in, but there were no giggling girls on the staircase. A single note was on the 4th step. Itachi picked it up, analyzing it.

"What's it say?" Kiba asked, sniffing the air for the girls' scent.

"** Hey boys! If you're reading this, you've noticed we are missing. You will decide who will find Hinata, Sakura, TenTen, Konan, and me. We have hidden in different places of the manor. When you find us, you get a reward! No cheating by using Kiba's sense of smell, or else."**

Itachi read the note with confusion on his face. Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Bet you that it was Noriko." He sighed and went up the stairs.

"I'm gonna look for Sakura. I don't know about the rest of you, but you better hurry before they get impatient." He disappeared into the hall on the left, leaving the rest of us.

"Itachi, Deidara, and me will look for Konan." Sasori stated smoothly, heading towards the doors on either side of the stairs. Itachi and Deidara followed him.

"I'm gonna look for Hinata!" Naruto zoomed up the stairs and to the right.

"I can already smell the metal on TenTen, so I'll look for her." He followed his nose to the same hall Naruto went. I just shrugged and went into the dining room. Deidara was under the table, while Sasori checked a food trolley. Itachi just stood their, laughing when Deidara banged his head on a chair. I turned right and headed towards the kitchen. No food was stored there, so it would be easy to track her scent in there. I smelled the air, catching that impossible scent of rain that followed her everywhere. She had been here, but she wasn't hiding in here. The closest heartbeat was Deidara's. (AN: He's a vamp, so he can hear heartbeats. Lol and can tell which one belongs to whom. XD) I ported to the Den. Damn. The scent was faint… she must've started here and gone into the kitchen, then left to somewhere else. I ported back to the entrance hall, only to find TenTen slung over Kiba's shoulder.

"Still no sign of Nori?" he grinned cockily, holding TenTen in place firmly as she squirmed.

"Obviously not." I replied coldly. Vampires just don't mix well with werewolves.

"Her scent was strongest when I was upstairs." He continued with the cocky grin. I let out a low snarl as I turned to walk up the stairs. I heard some giggling coming from the hall, only seeing Sasuke carrying Sakura bridal style, smirking away like the cocky bastard he was. I heard a small squeal, and saw Naruto carrying Hinata on his back. "Hina-chan passed out again." He sighed as he carried her downstairs. I just smirked, but a familiar scent filled the air after Naruto passed me. HER scent. I bolted to the hall and opened a door. This was where the girls were staying. The navy colored room was grand; the bed was a little intimidating with its size.

A small giggle and fluttering heartbeat caught my attention. It came from behind the changing screen with the peacocks on it. I made my way over to it, my feet never making a sound as I stood in front of the screen. She stilled, and her heartbeat got faster. I smirked, and ghosted over the sheet, appearing in front of her. She gasped and her heartbeat almost stopped. I looked over her form, taking everything in. From the tight spaghetti strap top that hugged her slender torso, and the white shorts that showed her long, porcelain legs. I couldn't hold back any longer. I grabbed her wrists and pulled her to me forcefully, but not tight or hard enough to hurt her. She gasped as she careened into my chest. I then released her wrists and wrapped an arm around her delicate waist. She placed her dainty hands on my chest, trying to push herself away. I used my free hand to cup her chin, and gently lifted her face to look at me. Her moon white face was flushed a rather cute shade of pink, and her onyx eyes were glimmering slightly in embarrassment. I just smirked, and pressed my lips against hers.

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My eyes widened in shock. Gaara's icy lips were against mine, his cool hand gently moved from my chin to my neck, gently pushing my lips harder against his. I closed my eyes, enjoying the feel of cold lips on my own. I felt his tongue gently lick my lower lip, seeking my permission to enter. I eagerly granted it, and his tongue roamed my mouth, exploring every inch of it. I let my hands wander up from his chest and knot themselves in his crimson hair. I gently ran my tongue over his fangs, and a low rumble emitted from the back of his throat. I did it again, and the growl was emanated again. Sensitive spot found. I pulled back for air, panting slightly. I looked into his eyes, and he captured my lips in his again. He pressed me flush against him before pulling away. I whimpered slightly, but he merely kissed my cheek. He then trailed a path of open-mouthed kisses down my jaw, to my neck. He stopped at the junction of my shoulder met my neck. He then kissed that spot again, before gently sucking on it, his tongue licking at my skin. I leaned my head to the side, giving him better access. I felt his fangs gently graze the skin there, and I froze. I felt him smile against my skin. "You've nothing to fear, my little goddess. I'd never harm you." His voice was like velvet, smooth and rich. I nodded, and he pressed a small kiss on the spot he had just occupied. He then proceeded to trail some more rather HOT open-mouthed kisses across my collarbone till he reached the same juncture on the other side of my neck. He sucked it gently, doing the same routine. He then gently bit my skin, his fangs never causing pain or discomfort. A small moan escaped my lips at the feeling of it. I smiled as his lips left my neck and found my own. I molded them against his as our tongues twisted together. He growled and pulled away.

"They can't find Konan." The sentence was almost a snarl as he rested his head in the crook of my neck. He never brought his head up as he breathed in my scent. I just giggled.

"I know where she is. She's in the bathroom of Itachi's bedroom." He then brought his head up and gave me a quick kiss on the forehead before slinging me over his shoulder. He then ported to the Den, where everyone waited.

"Konan is in your bathroom, Itachi." Gaara stated blandly, gently placing me on floor. Ravens flapped as Itachi ported out of the room.

"Once they get back, let's put on a movie!" Sakura bounced from her spot on the couch. Her legs were draped over Sasuke's lap. He absentmindedly stroked her thigh.

"Me and Kiba will make the popcorn!" TenTen called from Kiba's lap. They proceeded to the kitchen with the popcorn. Naruto opened the soda boxes, passing them around. I grabbed a Sprite while I sat on tone of the recliners. I let out a small "eep" of surprise when Gaara lifted me up bridal style and sat down with me in his lap. He opened the recliner, and then settled me between his legs. I took advantage and leaned back into his chest. I felt his cool breath on my ear as he whispered gently into my ear.

"Be mine?" I just smirked and looped my arm up and around his neck. I turned and craned my neck to kiss the tattoo over his left eye.

"Definitely." I whispered back as I rested against his chest. I left my arm around his neck, playing with his messy locks of red hair. Itachi then appeared, ravens flying away from him as he ported in, Konan standing next to him.

"Finally, hmm? Makes us wonder what you two were up to." Deidara inquired from his spot on the beanbag, Sasori between his legs on the floor. (AN: Yes, these two are together in this fic. This is the ONLY yaoi pairing!) Itachi shot him a glare, his eyes now the ruby colored Sharingan. Konan looked a little frustrated as she sat by Sasori and Deidara, her back leaning against the side of the beanbag. A few minutes later, Kiba and TenTen came in, passing a bucket to each couple. Itachi waved it off, so Konan got her own bucket.

"Ok, we have Freddy vs. Jason, Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and 13 Ghosts." He looked at all of us, scanning our faces.

"Ok who votes for Halloween?" Sasuke raised a hand.

"Looks like that one's out." He tossed onto the stereo. "Who's for 13 Ghosts?" Itachi raised his own hand, along with Naruto and Hinata.

"Texas Chainsaw Massacre?" Kiba raised his hand. "That one's out too." He tossed onto the stereo.

"Looks like the rest of you are for Freddy vs. Jason. In it goes." Itachi placed it in the player and sat on the other recliner, while Kiba pulled TenTen back into his lap after he sat on the other end of the couch. Gaara wrapped his arms around my waist, hugging me close as the movie started. That one was gorier than hell. We watched 13 Ghosts afterwards, followed by Halloween and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Hinata and Naruto were passed out on the middle of the couch, her head resting on him with his arm over her shoulder. TenTen was snoring gently against Kiba, who yawned. Itachi was still awake, but the other 3 Akatsuki members were out cold. Sasuke and Sakura were still awake, and so were me and Gaara. Kiba carried TenTen to her room (at least I think so) while Itachi woke Naruto, who ported Hinata out into her room, before porting back and grabbing the left over popcorn and porting to his room. Itachi ported Konan, Sasori and Deidara to their rooms before porting to his own. Sasuke and Sakura were already gone. Gaara released his hold on me as I got up.

I stretched, and giggled when I felt Gaara's hands on my hips. Sand began to swirl around us, and we were in my room; the same one we had changed in earlier. I yawned sleepily before crawling into the huge bed. Gaara was about to leave when I stopped him.

"Please stay?" I asked quietly. He just chuckled.

"You know I don't sleep right?" he asked, pointing to his raccoon eyes.

"Yeah, but… Oh, I guess you're right." I was about to crawl under the covers when a gentle breeze ruffled my hair. Gaara lifted me with one arm and pulled the covers back before crawling into bed, still holding me. He pulled them over us and pulled me close. I snuggled into his chest, and his arms wrapped around me protectively. I drifted off into sleep. I don't know how long I had been asleep, but I was waked by an ear-piercing scream of terror. I shot up, Gaara already at the door. I knew that voice… "No… NO!!!" I shrieked as I bolted to the door.


	7. She Wakes and Questions Are Answered

**What Brings Us Together**

**Chapter 7**

**XxXLilumAngelXxX: Wow... O_o chapter 7 already? Never saw that coming. lol Now for the disclaimer. NORI!!!!**

**Nori: Hi Lili-chan! Am I up?**

**XxXLiliumAngelXxX: *nods***

**Nori: Lili-chan doesn't own any characters except me and Aya (partially) They belong to Kishimoto-sama**

**XxXLiliumAngelXxX: Thankies Nori!**

Gaara picked me up and ran at full speed in the direction of the scream. We were being followed by Itachi, Naruto and Hinata, followed by Kiba and TenTen. Gaara stopped in front of a door in the eastern corridor. The door that led to HIS room. I opened it, and my nightmare began. A shirtless Sasuke was holding Sakura close to him. I switched a light on, and saw the crimson stains on Sakura's shirt. I followed the river of blood to a huge bite on the side of her neck. I ran forward, jumping on the bed and crawling as fast as I could to them. I slapped Sasuke as hard as I could before pulling Sakura out of his arms.

"Saku! Saku, wake up!" I shook her, tears streaming from eyes. Sasuke helped me get her off the bed and onto the floor. I shoved him away while I barked orders.

"Hinata! Go into the bathroom and grab the first aid kit!" I pressed my hand to Sakura's neck, trying to stop the bleeding. The warm liquid spread over my hand.

"Get me a cold, wet washcloth! NOW!" Naruto was next to me with the cloth, and I placed it onto her head. Hinata sat by me with the kit.

"Get me the gauze and bandages! We need to stop the bleeding and seal any of the venom left inside her!" Itachi looked at me, then at Sasuke with a fury that I'd never seen before. Hinata's hands were fluid and steady as she passed me the gauze first. I placed it over the two crescent shaped gashes on her neck before raising the other hand. The bandages entered my open hand instantly.

"Gaara! Hold Sakura's head up as gently as possible!" The action was instantaneous. I wrapped the bandages around her neck tightly, holding the gauze against the wounds. I grabbed the little metal clip and pinned it to the bandages. I placed two bloody fingers onto her pulse. It was faint, but beating at an inhuman speed. It was already starting. I looked at my bloody hands in horror. My best friends blood coated my hands. My rage began to build, and I felt my eyes begin to sting violently. I turned to Sasuke and punched him in the jaw. But, it wasn't my hand!! The skin was a deep cerulean blue, with long, claw-like nails.

Sasuke flew back into a wall, shaking the entire house when he collided with it.

"What the fuck is wrong with you Sasuke!!!" I screamed, but it wasn't my voice! It sounded different, like many voices were speaking at once. (AN: Picture Mystique's voice from X-Men.) My vision turned red with murderous intent as I ran forward. Itachi flew in front of me, stopping my advance. I saw my reflection in his now black eyes. I gasped. This wasn't me! The girl in my cousin's eyes had moonstone silver hair with gray horns shaped like cat ears. (AN: like a diclonius from Elfen Lied) The skin was the same deep cerulean blue as the skin I saw on the clawed hand. The lips were black, and small pearly fangs were visible. The eyes were chrome silver with electric blue slit pupils. A matching blue ring surrounded the pupil, with for blue commas spinning around the slit along the ring.

The Rengoku Sharingan… (AN: Rengoku means "purgatory") There was a dull throbbing emanating from the skin over my left pelvic bone. My eyes refocused on Itachi, who had activated his Mangekyou Sharingan. They spun, and my vision began to fade. The throbbing on my hip began to sharpen into a stabbing pain as I felt myself tumble to the floor. The last thing I felt was a pair of strong, familiar arms catch me and hold me close…

**A few hours later…**

My eyes fluttered open, looking up at the chiffon canopy above my bed. I turned my throbbing head to the side gazing at the drapes that covered the window through the chiffon curtain. I sat up despite the throbbing in my head and crawled out of bed. A small cramp-like pain grabbed at my left hipbone. I rubbed it, but the pain only increased. I lowered the waistband of my shorts and saw 3 small commas in a pinwheel shape. I poked it and hissed. Yep, that was the source of pain right there. I slipped my feet into my slippers and walked to the door when the memories hit me.

Sasuke… Sakura… Blood on my hands… that strange reflection in Itachi's eyes… I opened the door and limped towards Sasuke's room. Before I knew it, Gaara and Itachi were in front of me. Gaara's black-rimmed eyes were concerned as he scanned me for any injury. Itachi's gaze was soft, but troubled.

"I want to see her." I stated firmly. Gaara scooped me up and walked as gently as possible as he carried me to a different room in the mansion. He knocked, waiting for an answer.

"Come in." Someone rasped from behind the door. Gaara opened the door and carried me inside. The plain white room was still as I scanned it. The silver canopy bed had white chiffon curtains; drawn of course. Sasuke sat in a chair at the bedside, leaning forward, holding a pale, still hand. I was too concerned about the owner's hand to be angry with him right now.

"I can walk Gaara. I'm ok." I whispered into his ear. He reluctantly placed my feet on the ground, but still held onto my shoulders as to steady me. I limped forward and saw her in the bed. She was still as a statue, and just as pale. The gauze and bandages were still wrapped around her neck. Her pink hair was plastered to her head with sweat. I put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder in comforting gesture, and for support. My eyes were stinging with tears already.

"Pass me the cloth, Sasuke." I choked out as I sat on the bed beside her frozen body. He handed it to me without saying a word, and I gently dabbed the cool cloth against her forehead. Her fever was hotter than before. Gaara stood behind me, squeezing my shoulder gently.

"She should be awake in a little while. The conversion's almost over. Her heartbeat is slowing down every second." Gaara's usually monotone voice was filled with reassurance. I checked her pulse. He was right.

"What were you thinking Sasuke?" my voice cracked as I looked at him. His eyes never left her.

"I wasn't thinking Nori. You know how it is for us purebloods." His voice was dry and void of any emotion, as if he were dead inside. Purebloods had a harder time reigning in their instincts, since there was hardly any human inside. They act more animalistic, more driven by the primal feeling they have. I noticed the giant blackish bruise on his cheek. The claw flashed in my head again.

"What the hell happened last night?" I choked again, my tears streaming down like raging rivers.

"Itachi will explain when he comes in here." Sasuke's voice cracked. I continued to watch Sakura; her chest was rising faster and faster as the seconds passed. Finally, her breathing stopped, her fever disappeared. My best friend had died. I held myself back from totally staking Sasuke's heart with a silver stake, knowing that it wasn't over. Sakura shot up, throwing me off the bed in the process. I landed hard, my head pounding and my hip stinging. Gaara stood in front of me, growling like a lion. Sakura just snarled, lashing out slightly. Her normally peridot green eyes were red, and two long fangs were displayed as her lips curled back. Sasuke's roar caught our attention. His eyes were now Sharingan, and Sakura shrunk back, hissing slightly.

"Sakura, it's ok. We're not gonna hurt you." Sasuke's voice was soft as he walked towards the bed. Sakura's head tilted, her eyes scanning him.

"S-Sasuke?" her voice was hoarse and dry. Sasuke just smiled softly and nodded. Sakura launched herself at him, her arms wrapping around his neck as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. He held her there, stroking her rosette hair. Gaara helped me up, the pain in my hip was staggering now.

"What's the matter Sasuke?" Sakura looked up at him, her eyes still as red as his. Sasuke just bit his lip.

"You don't remember Sakura?" she just shook her head. Sasuke brought one of her hands up to her neck, her white fingers pressed against the mound of gauze and bandages on the right side of her neck. Her eyes widened as the shock played across her face. You could almost see her mind replay the events of last night. She pushed Sasuke away, stumbling and falling back onto the floor as she did. She looked at her shaking hands, and felt her face.

"I'm a vampire?" her voice asked in disbelief. I walked forward and squatted in front of her, despite the protesting pain on my hip.

"Nori-chan? Am I?" Her voice cracked as blood red tears filled her eyes. I pulled her into a hug as she cried into my shoulder. She was shaking like a maraca, her small frame shuddering as she sobbed. When her body stilled I froze. Her lips were already at my neck. Before I knew it, Gaara ripped me away from her, roaring angrily at Sakura. She whimpered and shrank back.

"What the fuck is wrong with me!!!" she cried, holding her head in her hands.

"You need blood." Sasuke stated, walking towards her. Her eyes widened. He just moved the collar of his shirt aside, exposing his porcelain neck to her.

"You won't hurt me Sakura. Just do it." His voice was as cold as steel as he pulled her towards him. Gaara still stood in front of me, guarding me in case she went into a blood-fueled frenzy. Sakura stood on her toes and brought her pale lips to Sasuke's neck. Her fangs pierced the skin, and blood oozed from the wounds. Sasuke moved his head to the side, the Sharingan of his eyes spinning wildly. I looked away; the display would be forever branded into my mind.

"Sakura… That's enough." Sasuke huffed. I looked again, and saw Sasuke pull Sakura away from his neck. He wiped the excess blood from his neck, licking it from his fingers. The holes closed almost instantly, and his eyes were once again black. I looked at Sakura, who licked the blood from her lips. She already almost looked like her normal self; her eyes were a bright green again, and her features looked normal instead of sickly.

"Where's everyone else?" her now crystal clear voice rang out.

"They went out for coffee. They'll be back in a while." Gaara stated, his tense frame calming down. I walked out from behind him, staring at my friend.

"Gosh Nori! You look like hell!" she joked as she danced gracefully over to me.

"Well, I was worried about you! I almost killed Sasuke last night!" I stressed the point about last night, looking at my cousin.

"Well, you'll have to fill me in on that." She added coldly. Her solemn expression changed into a smile as she grabbed my wrist a little too hard. I winced, and she recoiled.

"Sorry. C'mon! Let's get ready real quick!" She darted over to the door. I tried walking, but that damn throbbing caused me to wince again. Gaara picked me up and carried me to the room. Sakura just looked at me as he placed me on the vanity chair and gave me a quick kiss before departing.

"Are you ok Nori-chan?" her bell-like voice was thick with concern.

"Some stuff happened last night and… I ... I have no idea what's going on." I shook my head as the blue-skinned girl entered my mind.

"My head feels like I've got a hangover from hell, and this… this… MARK is killing me!" I pointed to my hip.

"What mark?" she tilted her head. I showed her the little pinwheel and her brows knitted.

"Itachi's supposed to explain everything to me, but he still hasn't. I wanted to see if you were ok before that." I shrugged sheepishly. She laughed and grabbed the duffel bag that was in front of the changing screen. She pulled out her clothes before tossing mine towards me. She darted behind the screen while I limped to the bathroom. After brushing my teeth, I splashed ice-cold water over my face. I looked at the reflection in the mirror wearily. My face was paler than usual, and dark purple circles had formed under my eyes. I shook my head and dried my face off with a towel. I wet a cloth before walking out. Sakura was dressed in a pair of black skinny jeans with a black top with hot pink letters that read "WARNING: ATTITUDE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE" and her pink converse. I walked over and told her to stay still as I pulled off the metal clip that held the bandages around her neck. I undid them till I reached the bloody gauze. I pulled it off, looking at the twin crescent scars on her marble neck. Some dry blood had crusted around the flesh, so I wiped it away with the cloth.

I saw Sakura's expression grow somber as I wiped the blood away.

"What's the matter Sakura-chan?" I asked quietly. I threw the cloth into a nearby hamper.

"Mixed feelings…" she murmured.

"About what?" I continued as I went behind the screen. There was a small silence as she contemplated her said feelings into words.

"I like Sasuke, A LOT. But, I hate him… I hate him so much. He's taken something away from me… and he never asked about my feelings." Her voice was cracking slightly; now doubt it was because she was tearing up. I changed into my electric blue tank top and black shorts quickly before walking out from the screen. She was sitting on the bed, her head in her hands. I sat next to her, running my hand on her back in a calming gesture. She looked at me, the crimson tears already running down her face.

"It's a lot harder for the Uchiha vampires Saku. If Sasuke were a common vampire, this probably never would have happened." Why was I defending him? Oh, right. He was head over heels for Sakura, and she was the same over him. Brilliant.

"What do you mean?" she questioned as she wiped her eyes.

"Well, my family is known for its heritage. My family is a clan of Pure Blood vampires. Since there is not a single drop of human blood in their line, their instincts are a little more intense. The animalistic side of them tends to come out more easily." Her expression showed her brain working this out.

"And, only purebloods can change humans." I added, still rubbing her back. She looked forward, spacing out for a few seconds before pulling me into hug. She was holding back; a full-blown hug from her would've crushed me instantly.

"That still doesn't change the fact that I HATE him. I hate that I NEED him with me, that I WANT him still. And he is practically INSIDE me now, liking he's running through the blood in my veins." She whimpered, crying again.

"That's your bond Saku. He's your creator, so you share the same feelings. He feels what you feel, and vice versa. You share one mind now." She pulled away, sniffing.

"But it's not all that bad. You two are closer then ever." She looked at me, and I smiled softly. She nodded shakily.

"Yeah. You're right." She pulled me into another hug, holding me as tightly as she could without killing me. A flood of inspiration hit me as lyrics began to trigger in my head. I waited till the embrace was over before I grabbed my notebook from the bag and scrawled it down.

"Inspiration?" Sakura asked, peering over my shoulder as I wrote.

"Yep."

I quickly closed it and tossed it back into the bag before grabbing my bright blue thigh-high tights and hi-top Converse that were the same blue with black rubber. I slipped those on and let my hair down from the braid, letting it hang in waves. I ran my brush through it as Sakura changed her pink chrome lip ring to a small black jewel stud. We threw on some eyeliner and gloss before looking at ourselves in the three-way mirror. My shorts were low on my hips, showing the pinwheel mark clearly. I tried pulling my top down, but it showed my black bra to the world. I'd rather have the mark show and leave my bra unnoticed, so I pulled it back up. I walked out the door with Sakura behind me and made our way downstairs. We proceeded through the doors to the dining room, which was surprisingly vacant. Then the laughing from the Den tipped us off. Sakura opened the door and walked in first, only to be glomped by Hinata, TenTen, and Naruto.

"You had us worried!" TenTen cried, happy tears streaming down her face. Hinata was sobbing quietly, and Naruto just grinned like an idiot.

"Immortality suits you, Sakura-chan." Sakura smiled at him as she mock-punched him in the arm.

"It's ok." She teased before her eyes widened. I found the source of her expression easily. Sasuke sat in the window seat, his eyes locking with Sakura's. There was an awkward silence as the two began a mental conversation. I decided to bring everyone's attention away from the two.

"Does anyone know where Itachi is? He's got some explaining to do." I looked to Deidara and Sasori, who were in the same spot and position as last night. "

I don't know, hmm? I heard him say something about the library though, hmm?" Deidara pointed directly above us to where the library was located.

"Thanks Dei." I walked to the staircase again and went to the left.

"What the fuck does that mean Uchiha! Stop avoiding the subject!" an angry yell came from the door to the library. I knew that voice too. I opened the door and saw my cousin with an open book in his hand, his face a mask of calm composure as he stared at the enraged vampire standing in front of him. Gaara's normally jade eyes were black with a yellow iris and a small star-shaped black pupil. He turned to me, and I saw his rage fade and his eyes revert to their normal coloring.

"Noriko. Glad to see you've joined us. You're probably looking for answers, aren't you?" Itachi's obsidian gaze met mine. I nodded, and he motioned for me to come. As I walked forward, Gaara pulled a chair in front of him. I sat in it, and he sat on the left arm. He draped his arm over my shoulder before Itachi spoke.

"You go ahead and ask what you want." I immediately launched into "Spanish Inquisition" mode.

"What the hell happened to me last night?" Itachi leaned into the desk and placed the book beside him.

"You awakened an evil caged inside you that reacts to anger and bloodlust." He stated simply.

"Ok, let's try the remix. WHY did that happen? And while you're at it, tell me WHY I have this mark on me!" I pointed to the pinwheel to emphasize the mark.

Itachi sighed and picked up the book.

"Look here Nori." He pointed to a branch on an elaborate family tree of the Uchiha clan. A black ink spot blotted out the spot where my mother's name should've been.

"What's that got to do with any of this?" I crossed my legs and arms, annoyed with the little family history lesson.

"As you know you're mother was disowned from the family. But, it wasn't because she was human. In fact, she was a pureblood vampire." I snorted.

"No she wasn't. Uncle Fugaku told me she was human." Itachi just retorted.

"To protect you from the truth, my dear cousin. Auntie Aya was a pureblood. She was never an illegitimate child. YOU were." He pointed to me before continuing.

"Auntie Aya had an affair with a human. When she found out she was pregnant, she married an elder from the City hidden in the Mist, and pretended that she was with child from him. But, life has a funny sense of humor. You know that if a vampire and a human conceive, there is a 48% chance that the child will be human?" I just nodded, and he continued.

"Well, you were born human. Grandfather Madara was furious, and punished your mother harshly. She was disowned, and they hired a man from the Sound City to place a curse on the child that was no longer family, but an abomination in Grandfather's eyes." Itachi looked at the mark and paused, giving me time to register this in my brain.

"Auntie Aya then left you on our doorstep. I remember that night." He closed his eyes before continuing.

"Mother heard you crying and went to the door. I followed, with Sasuke behind me. Mother called father, who came running instantly. They argued for hours while me and Sasuke watched you. When they walked out, Father took you and did a sealing ceremony on you." He opened an eye and looked at me.

"You had a set of lungs on you. You cried the entire time. Sasuke even dove under the pillows in a vain attempt to shut your cries out." He teased.

"What happened to my mom?" I asked. Itachi coughed and looked away.

"She was killed by hunters a few months after we took you in." I had a feeling that was the case, but the tears came anyway. They fell from my eyes involuntarily in a flood. Gaara pulled me close as my tears ran. There was an awkward pause, but I broke the silence, hungry for more information.

"Ok. What kind of curse?" I choked out. Itachi's expression grew grim. He walked to one of the shelves and pulled out a black book with the Uchiha crest on the cover. He opened it, flipped through a few pages, and finally showed me a section of the book with a mark that was mirror image of my own.

"The Curse of the Heavens. A double-edged sword that winds up eating away at the body of the cursed when entering a state of rage. To further tempt the vessel, the curse grants them power." He stated blandly.

"That's what happened to me last night?" Itachi nodded.

"You're rage at Sasuke and grief over Sakura broke the seal my father placed on you. It had eroded over time; losing power every time your rage spiked." I looked at him as he continued.

"After breaking the seal, it took over your body, changing you into a demonic creature. You're strength doubled. That's why your punch did so much damage to Sasuke." Well, that explained a lot.

"Is there a way to break the curse?" I asked as I stood up. Itachi just nodded.

"You won't like it." He added. Gaara snarled then.

"What? Is it that bad?" Gaara answered my question then.

"That's what we were arguing about when you walked in." I looked at Gaara. He growled before continuing.

"There's two ways to break the curse. Either become a vampire," There was no way in hell I could handle immortality. That was out the window.

"Or you die."


	8. Inspiration

**What Brings Us Together**

**Chapter 8**

**XxXLiliumAngelXxX: SASUKE!!!!!!! GET YOUR BUTT OVER HERE AND DO THE DISCLAIMER!!!!!! =Z**

**Itachi: You better hurry little brother. She might kill you off later on.**

**XxXLiliumAngelXxX: Damn straight!**

**Sasuke: Hn. Lili-san doesn't own any of the Naruto characters or Right Here (Departed) by Brandy. Each belongs to their respective owners.**

**XxXLiliumAngelXxX: Thank you Sasuke-kun!**

"I'll find another way Noriko. You won't have to do this." I didn't exactly know how yet, but I wasn't going to let her become something she didn't want. After the elder Uchiha had told her the only ways to break the curse, Noriko jus spaced out. Her glinting jet eyes seemed to dull as her brain began to contemplate the two decisions before her. I had carried her back into her room and placed her on the bed. I stood against the wall with my arms folded, watching her still form.

She finally looked at me and smiled weakly. "It's ok Gaara." Her voice was soft as she stood up and walked towards me. She brought a shaky hand up to my face, and placed it on my cheek.

"Why do I feel so safe with you?" she asked as she ran her thumb over the skin. I just placed my hand over hers while I pulled her close to me.

"I don't know." I answered, stroking her hair.

"Is it ok if I ask you a few things? To get my mind off of things?" she asked quietly. I nodded and sat on the bed, pulling her with me. She draped her legs across my lap, the bright blue tights keeping her creamy flesh from my eyes.

"Um, how old are you?" she asked, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"I appear to be 19, but I'm actually 116." I chuckled, resting my arm on her knee and leaning against the headboard.

She raised her eyebrows. "Wow. Ok, next question. Um… can you eat any kind of human food, or does it have to be blood all the time?" Typical question any human would ask I guess.

"I can eat food, but it's a tasteless substance that is like a human trying to eat air. It just helps with the human charade." I closed my eyes, letting my head relax against the wooden headboard.

"Ok. Do your fangs retract or are the always, you know, always long?" I just chuckled again. "They don't really retract. They're just a little shorter when I'm calm. Like right now." I brought my lips up from my teeth and opened one of my eyes. She was gazing in fascination. "But when I'm about to feed or fighting, they grow." I closed my eye, remembering a piece of my childhood, and felt my rage build. I opened my eyes, and my vision was clearer; more pronounced. My lips curled back, displaying my now elongated fangs. Noriko glanced at my eyes first, noticing the change of coloring from green to yellow, before looking at my fangs.

"Can I touch them?" she asked, somehow giving me a mental image of she might've been when she was a child. I just nodded, and she leaned towards me. She brought one of her delicate hands up to my teeth, slowly assessing the situation. She placed a finger on my left fang, gently stroking it from where it met my gums, down to the tip. It tickled greatly. I squirmed, and saw her fascinated expression change into one of mischief. No doubt she was remembering when I kissed her. She had run her tongue over my fangs, and I had let out a growl. Before I could react, she had placed her lips against mine.

"What happened to asking questions?" I mumbled against her warm kiss. She pulled away, smiling.

"It's easy to get distracted with you around." She stated simply. She giggled and gave me a quick kiss on my tattoo before resettling herself into her previous position. She continued to ask me about myself. Where was I from? Did I have any siblings? How did I meet the others? What got me into music? She went on, and I couldn't help but watch her. She used her hands a lot, and tucked her hair behind her ears nervously when she found me staring at her. But, leave it up to Naruto to bust up the fun. He crashed in, with a blushing Hinata behind him.

"Everyone's getting ready to leave. Sasuke and Itachi are kicking us out." He pouted.

"Well, we do have school tomorrow. And me and Sakura have to clean up around the apartment." Noriko swung her legs off of mine and got off the bed. She pulled her shoes on again before packing some of her stuff in her bag.

"Sakura said she'd meet you later. She's going to give me and Hinata a ride home and stay here a little longer so Itachi can help her learn how to port and control her bloodlust." Naruto stated simply.

"Oh ok. Guess it's a good thing though. I need some time to think anyways." She shrugged as she threw the bag over her shoulder.

"A-are you s-s-sure Nori-chan?" the Hyuga girl stuttered. Noriko just smiled and nodded. They left, leaving her and me in the room.

"You want me to take you home? I have to pick up my bike anyways." She nodded and we walked out to the entrance hall. TenTen had her keys in hand with Kiba standing by her. Sasori, Deidara, and Konan had already disappeared, leaving the Uchiha brothers, eldest at the top of the stairs, younger sitting on the 4th from the bottom step. Sakura was standing by the doors, lost in thought. I watched Noriko say her goodbyes before walking outside. I followed, thankful for the clouds that blocked the sun. A fresh blanket of snow had coated the ground, changing the landscape color to a bright white. Noriko shrugged into her hoodie before looking up at me. I pulled her to me again as some rather wet sand began to whirl around us. We arrived inside her apartment; the dark room was still as we entered.

"Great. Can't see the freakin' light switch." She grumbled as she tried to pull away from me. I just held her there.

"Um, Gaara-kun?" She looked up at me; my vision could pierce the darkness, allowing me to see her blushing face as she looked up at me. I smirked and leaned down, kissing her. She stiffened slightly, but relaxed as I wrapped my arms around her small waist. Her hands wandered up, rubbing my shoulders on their trip up. Her fingers tangled into my hair as I licked her bottom lip, seeking entrance. She parted her lips, and I slipped my tongue into her mouth. I pressed her into me and a small mewl escaped her throat. I chuckled and pulled away, allowing her to breathe. She was breathing hard, her face flushing brightly. I dashed to the switch and back to her in 2 seconds flat. The lights flashed on, illuminating the apartment. I smirked at her spacey expression. When she finally refocused on me, her face blushing a shade of crimson. She scowled and gave me a playful shove.

"Do you really want to mess with a vampire, Uchiha?" I challenged, crouching slightly.

"You don't scare me Sabaku." She challenged back.

"You sure about that?" I retorted before growling, tensing my muscles and coiling back. I then launched myself at her, tackling her onto the carpet. She shrieked as I collided with her. We rolled several times before I pinned her arms on either side of her head, letting a snarl rip from my throat. She cringed slightly at my snarl and looked up at me.

"You were saying?" I whispered into her ear.

"You're a terrifying individual who shouldn't be messed with." She gasped out, her chest heaving. Her blush increased as she looked at me.

"What?" I asked. She just looked down, and I noticed the position we were in. I had her pinned beneath me. My hands shackled her wrists and I had my chest pressed against hers. If I had been human, I would've blushed too when I saw that my hips were pressed between her legs. I immediately bolted up, offering my hand to hers after I got up. I helped her to her feet muttering an apology.

"It's ok Gaara-kun. Really." She giggled. There was an awkward silence as we stood there, too embarrassed to even look at each other.

"Did y-you wanna, you know, stay for a bit?" her voice finally broke the silence. I looked at her and nodded. She smiled and went down the hall to put her bag in one of the rooms. She walked out, kicking her shoes off as she went.

"You can sit down. The couch isn't gonna eat you." She joked, walking into the small kitchenette.

"Um, I would ask if you want anything, but…?" I just waved her off as she walked in with an apple and a glass of water. She sat next to me and grabbed a notebook that sat on the coffee table in front of us.

"May I enquire what's in that book?" I attempted to peek over to see the page. She scooted away, waving a finger.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk! You can't see the words, but I will tell you it's a song." I raised a brow and continued.

"Would you sing it please?" Man, I even used the magic word. That doesn't happen often.

"I've only got the chorus and the first verse though." She sulked slightly.

"Can I still hear it?" I don't think I'd ever been this nice to anyone, not even my creator, Temari. I continued to look at her, and she finally gave in.

"Yeah why not?" She turned to me, sitting cross-legged and straightening her back. She bobbed her head, creating a beat inside her head before bringing her voice to life.

_When you feel your heart is guarded_

_And you see the breaks started_

_When the clouds have all departed_

_You'll be right here with me_

_You'll be right here with me_

_When your life is goin' too fast_

_Off the train tracks_

_I can slow it down_

_Just when you think you 'bout to turn back_

'_Stead you might crash_

_I'll be your ground_

When you feel your heart is guarded

_And you see the breaks started_

_When the clouds have all departed_

_You'll be right here with me_

_When your tears are dry from crying_

_And the world has turned silent_

_When the clouds have all departed_

_You'll be right here with me_

_I'll be right here with you_

_You'll be right here with me_

_I'll be right here with you_

_You'll be right here with me_

Damn, she had a voice. I clapped, and she laughed.

"It's still a work in progress though. I need some inspiration." She shrugged. I decided to take the initiative and leaned forward.

"Maybe I can fix that." My hand took hold of her neck and I pulled her to me, crashing her lips against mine. We stayed like this for several moments till she parted her lips. How was she doing this to me? I'd never met anyone like this since… Never mind that. I began kissing her neck, gently nipping at the skin, careful not to let my fangs pierce the moonlight skin. I pulled away, only to see one of her veins swelling slightly. My more primal side began to surface as I imagined the taste of her blood on my tongue. I stayed frozen for several seconds, trying to wrestle those thought from my head.

"Gaara? Are you ok?" Noriko's voice snapped me back into reality. I looked at her and shook my head.

"I need to hunt. I better go." I got up, grabbing my stuff as I went.

"Ok. I'll see you tomorrow?" I just nodded, placing a quick kiss on her forehead before I ghosted out of the window. I held onto my bike as I ported to the garage under the apartments I lived in. I then saw my elder "brother" pull up in his black Mercedes.

"Glad to see you're back Gaara." He stated as he stepped out. This was one strange vampire. He liked the color black a little too much, and had a fetish for purple face paint.

"You miss me Kankuro? That's creepy." He grabbed at his heart in mock hurt.

"That hurts little brother. It really does." I just rolled my eyes.

"I'm just dropping off my bike. I'm going to the mountains to hunt." Kankuro's black eyes narrowed.

"Hunting what? If it's humans, Temari will throw a fit." I just glared.

"Of course not. There are plenty of mountain lions and grizzlies out there." Did he honestly think I'd hunt innocent humans? I'm not a damn newborn!

"Ok then. Catch ya later little bro!" I didn't want to hear it. I took off at full speed, sprinting towards the mountains. I moved too fast for humans to see me, making it an easy trip. The snow made it easy to track the animals that inhabited the trees and rocks of the slopes. Some rather large bear tracks caught my attention. I let my animal instincts take over as I followed the tracks and scent to a cave a few kilometers east of a picnic range. I stepped into the cave and was met by the sound of animal snoring. A huge, female grizzly was asleep, deep in hibernation. It must've gotten interrupted by something for it to wake up in the middle of winter. I crouched, slinking closer and closer to the unsuspecting brute. When I was close enough I launched for its throat. I sunk my now elongated fangs into the throat, but the pain made the grizzly's eyes snap open. It bellowed and made an attempt to throw me off, swatting at me with a huge paw. I just caught the blow, holding the paw back as I bit harder. My teeth sank through the skin and thin layer of fat till it pierced a vein. The blood touched my tongue and I went into a frenzy. The blood may have tasted like salty vegetables, but you just couldn't help it once you had a taste of it. The bear groaned as I sucked it dry, falling to the ground with a tremendous thud. I licked my lips of excess blood before stepping out of the cave. More snow was beginning to fall, and the wind was beginning to pick up speed.

I darted back to my apartment, only to see Kankuro and my maker, Temari, fighting over the TV remote. Snarls were being flung at each other, till Kankuro finally surrendered. Temari grinned and switched the channels to some concert that was being aired on MTV. I just walked towards my room when Temari called me.

"How was the hunt?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"The grizzly was already hibernating; there wasn't much difficulty." My voice was monotone and low.

"That's good to hear." She smirked and brought her attention back to the TV. I just shrugged and walked to my room. There was a bed, but it wasn't used since I didn't sleep as well as a futon couch and desk. A set of drawers completed the furnishings of the room. I just stripped down on my way to the bathroom, tossing my clothes into the hamper by the door. I turned the hot water knob in the shower before turning to the mirror. I saw my eyes change as a memory from the past played through my mind. Blood, brown eyes pleading, snarls, and death. I shook my head and stepped into the water. The hot water was soothing, if not scorching against my cold skin. I didn't stay in for long, grabbing a black towel on my out and wrapping it around my waist. I grabbed another one and placed it over my head. I went back into my bedroom, drying my hair as I walked towards the drawers. I then dressed in some black sweats, leaving my chest bare. I threw the towels in the hamper and walked to my desk, pulling out a notebook that held my songs in it. I sighed to myself, reminiscing about my past when Sunagakure was still a mere village. She popped into my head again… Matsuri… A sudden wave hit me and I grabbed a pen. Scrawling the words onto a blank page, I poured my emotions out onto the paper. I didn't like displaying emotions in front of people regularly, so I let it out in the form of songs. A place where you could tell stories and people would gladly listen. I finished it up, writing the title at the top of the page before grabbing a book on the desk and my iPod. 4 words that described her memory… **Painted On My Heart.**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

An awkward silence filled the Uchiha Manor after everyone left. It was only me, Sasuke, and Itachi in the library. I fidgeted as they looked at each other, and Sasuke nodded. He then turned to me.

"Things are going to be tougher from here Sakura." He broke the silence, his voice stern.

"The elders that reign over the our world are going to investigate the matter apparently." He looked away from me, biting his lip.

"How could some elders find out about this?" I still wasn't used to how clear my voice was. Itachi then answered me.

"The elders are linked to purebloods across the world by a strange mental link. No one but the elders knows how it works. But when a new vampire is created by a pureblood, the elders feel a new connection being made by the pureblood and the newborn. It's like a trip wire." That cleared things up a bit.

"And what's gonna be so hard about that?" Sasuke looked at me.

"They test your endurance against bloodlust. If you pass; you live. If you fail; you are killed on spot." A sense of dread filled my being.

"The elders come in 2 days. You just might be able to learn the ropes in time." Itachi pushed off of the desk he was leaning against.

"But before that, Sasuke has something to tell you." Itachi then proceeded to leave the room. Sasuke looked at me with sad eyes.

"This isn't easy for me Sakura. I just want you to know that. I don't know why I care about you so damn much… But…" he trailed off looking away.

"My family is very famous in the Vampire world. We're like royalty. Only a few purebloods are." He began to walk towards me at a rather slow pace.

"A lot is expected of my brother and me. With us being the final of the Uchiha vampires, we're bound by duty." He was now in front of me, looking down at me. I un-crossed my legs and looked up at him, a sickening feeling entering the pit of my stomach. He struggled with words at first before pulling me up into a tight embrace.

"I'm sorry, but it has to end, Sakura. I… I can't be with you." I froze in his arms. My world had been shattered at those last 5 words. I pulled away as the tears began to enter my eyes.

"W-why?" I choked out as the tears fell from my face. His expression grew grim as his eyes began to be rimmed with red tears.

"Me and Itachi have been engaged to the daughters of 2 of the elders. There's no backing out since the penalty is death." His voice cracked every now and then. The tears kept flowing as I walked back. My legs felt like they were going to give out, and a lump was building up in my throat.

"I'm sorry Sakura. I should've never have brought you into this." A single, blood red tear streamed from each of his eyes. I just ran out of the library, sprinting to where Itachi would be, the Den. I bolted into his arms, crying my eyes out. He just stroked my hair gently; like a big brother that I always wished for. He gently shushed me, murmuring words of comfort.

"If he had any other choice, he'd take it, Sakura. I know he would." He tried reassuring me. It helped a little bit. We stayed there for a while until I pulled away; my tears spent.

"Teach me everything I need Itachi." I clenched my fists, and my lessons began.


	9. Gaara's Past

**What Brings Us Together**

**Chapter 9**

**XxXLiliumAngelXxX: Who's the lucky victim, er, GUEST to do the disclaimer.**

**BabyJane369: How about Gaara?**

**XxXLiliumAngelXxX: YEAH!!!!! Gaara-kun?**

**Gaara: What do you want, Lili-chan?**

**XxXLiliumAngelXxX: *puppy eyes* purty pleez do the disclaimer?**

**Gaara: No.**

**XxXLiliumAngelXxX: But Gaara-kun! I'll get sued and i won't be able to write anymore!**

**Gaara:...**

**XxXLiliumAngelXxX: Pity me Gaara.**

**Gaara: *sigh* Lili-chan doesn't own me or any of the Naruto cast members. She also doesn't own the Cult song used in this chapter.**

**XxXLiliumAngelXxX: THANKIES!!! *glomps Gaara***

**3 months later…**

I waited patiently for my ride to arrive at my apartment. Spring had entered Konoha, melting the traces of snow, as well as the misery and sadness of the incidents 3 months ago. Want a quick update? Well, Kiba and TenTen are an official couple now, and she had moved in with him after her grandmother passed away in January. Hinata and Naruto were going pretty steady, even though she passed out when he'd kiss her.

Itachi and the other Akatsuki members had been signed to GOD records, and being managed by a sinister rocker with way too many piercings named Pein. MANDA SERPENT records had signed Shinobi, and were being managed by a creep named Orochimaru. (AN: Orochimaru didn't curse Nori. Someone else did.) The girls and me had been signed by KUNOICHI records, and were being managed by a short-tempered woman by the name of Tsunade.

Speaking of the girls, I should mention Sakura. She's been doing good, but was still a little hurt after her break up with Sasuke.

Sasuke wasn't doing so good either. With his marriage coming up, he's been severely depressed as of late. Itachi was his normal self, already married to a snob named Yuki Suzuka.

And Gaara? Well, him and me have been going pretty steady. But, he's been growing distant lately. I've tried talking to Temari-sensei, (who I figured out was Gaara's creator) but she would just give me a sad look before saying "I don't know". I know she's lying, but I've got bigger things to worry about, like my curse mark.

I hadn't had any attacks in a while, and the pain was a norm for me now. But, I've been feeling its effects on me already. I get tired too easily, and my vision is beginning to get bad. I have to wear glasses or contacts now.

My phone went off, playing "If You Could Only See" by Tonic, Gaara's caller id.

"Hello?" I answered, pushing my hair back with a headband.

"You ready?" his smooth voice was absolutely SEXY.

"Yeah. I'm coming down now." I said as I grabbed my bag and helmet before leaving the apartment. I ran down the stairs to where he stood by his bike. He smirked as he uncrossed his arms. I walked forward, hugging him tightly. He gave me a quick kiss on the lips before mounting the bike, pulling his helmet on. I pulled my own on before sitting behind him and wrapping my arms around his waist. He took off towards the school, the warm air blowing against us as he sped down the streets. We pulled up in our usual space in the parking lot. After we dismounted the bike, he stuffed our helmets in a backpack and slung the strap over one of the handlebars. No one messed with his bike anyways.

I grabbed his hand as we walked to first period. We were testing today, so it was only going to be a half-day. Gaara had invited me over to his apartment after school and I had hatched a plan to pounce on him about his mood lately. If it was possible for one of the quietest, most anti-social person I know to get worse, he proved it.

First period was used for last minute studying, but like Kakashi-sensei gave a crap. Gaara pulled me into his lap as the others arrived. But I noticed Sasuke and Sakura were missing.

"Anyone know where Sasuke and Sakura are?" I looked around.

"Sasuke was staying home today to prepare for the ceremony tomorrow." Naruto added from his spot behind Hinata, playing with her hair.

"Sakura left early this morning. Said she was going on a quick H.T." I stated, using our abbreviation for hunting trip. We just chatted till Kakashi put his book aside and handed out the testing booklets. I sat in the desk to the left of Gaara and zoomed through the tests with ease. Naruto was sweating, but Hinata always gave him the answers ever so discreetly, using special hand signs for the multiple-choice questions. Gaara breezed through, as did TenTen. Kiba just closed his eyes and slept through it, as usual. TenTen would break into the teacher's lounge over the weekend with him and the answer booklet.

The day passed by and there was still no sign of Sakura. I texted her, but there was no reply. The bell rang, dismissing us for the rest of the day. I grabbed my book bag and walked with Gaara down the hall to the lot. I just floated through the motions; my head was busy worrying about Sakura. Was she ok? Was she hurt? Had something gone wrong? I was knocked out of my daze when the bike's engine was cut off. We were at the apartments already. I followed Gaara to the elevator, where we rode to the top of the building to his penthouse. I dropped my bag and slipped off my shoes by the door. He must've noticed my mind was off elsewhere.

"You're worried about Sakura, aren't you?" I looked at him and smiled sheepishly.

"Is it that obvious?" He just nodded. I sighed and sat on his couch while he locked the door and hung his school jacket on the door tree.

"You mind if I take a shower? I won't be in long." I don't know why he was asking. It was HIS apartment.

"I'll be ok. Go on ahead." I shooed him away, giggling. He just smirked and walked up the stairs. I decided to turn on his massive stereo and see what he was listening to, and went to stand in front of the wall/window, gazing out across the city. I listened to Shinobi's demo album as I stood their. Gaara's voice was utterly hypnotic as he sang. Then one tune caught my attention. It was sad, and seemed very regretting for some reason.

**(Painted On My Heart by The Cult)**

_I thought you'd be out of my mind_

_And I'd finally found a way to learn to live without you_

_I thought it was just a matter of time_

_Till I had a hundred reasons not to think about you_

_But it's just not so_

_And after all this time_

_I still can't let go_

_I've still got your face_

_Painted on my heart_

_Scrawled upon my soul_

_Etched upon my memory, baby_

_I've got your kiss_

_Still burning on my lips_

_The touch of my fingertips_

_This love so deep inside of me, baby_

_I've tried everything that I can_

_To get my heart to forget you_

_But it just can't seem to_

_I guess it's just no use_

_In every part of me_

_Is still a part of you_

_And I've still got your face_

_Painted on my heart_

_Scrawled upon my soul_

_Etched upon my memory, baby_

_I've got your kiss_

_Still burning on my lips_

_The touch of her fingertips_

_This love so deep inside of me, baby_

_I've still got your face_

_Painted on my heart_

_Painted on my heart_

_Painted on my heart, oh baby_

_Something in your eyes keeps haunting me_

I'm trying to escape you

_And I know there ain't no way to_

_To chase you from my mind_

_I've still got your face_

_Painted on my heart_

_Scrawled upon my soul_

_Etched upon my memory baby_

_I've got your kiss_

_Still burning on my lips_

_The touch of my fingertips_

_This love so deep inside of me, baby_

_I've still got your face_

_I've still got your face_

_Painted on my heart_

_Painted on my heart_

Who was he singing about? I know it wasn't me. Maybe I'd ask him.

"You still worried?" I jumped at the sound of his voice and turned to him. He was walking down the stairs, dressed in some black jeans and his deep red button up had the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. My eyes though were lingering on his chest. His shirt was completely open, exposing his lean, well-muscled torso. I also noticed the rock-hard abs that seemed to glue my eyes to them.

"Nori." I looked up at him. He was drying his hair with a dark red towel, peeking at me from under the fabric.

"What?" I asked, trying to play it cool. He just chuckled.

"You were staring." He added before sitting on the couch. I blushed madly at his little observation. He patted the spot next to him with his free hand. I sat by him and faced him, trying to look serious.

"What's been up with you lately?" Why wait to ask questions. He just raised an invisible eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" his voice was monotone as he tossed the towel onto a chair across the room.

"You just seem so… distant. Whenever I ask Temari or Naruto and them, they avoid the subject entirely." He just looked away from me.

"I'm kind of worried about you." I added in as I scooted closer to him.

"…"

There was an awkward silence. I finally got fed up and stood.

"Fine. Don't tell me. I'll be at my place." I walked to the door, but felt a tug on my arm. I looked and saw a fine chain of sand wrapped around my wrist.

"Don't" was all he said as he gently tugged at the chain. I sighed and sat back onto my spot. I crossed my arms and looked at him, waiting for my answer.

"Memories." I tilted my head at his word.

"Bad memories. Ones I don't want to remember." He slung an arm around me, pulling me close.

"Does this have to do with that song?" he looked at me.

"Which one?" I sang the chorus softly to him and he nodded.

"I think it's time I told you who I really am Nori." He stated simply before resting his head on mine and closing his eyes.

"You know about the rulers of the villages over 100 years ago?" he asked while he rubbed my shoulder.

"Yeah" he continued after I answered.

"I was once the Kazekage of Sunagakure. My reign was short lived when the plague hit the village. I was a victim of it. That's when Temari found me." He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"My fiancé at the time had summoned her to save me. Temari bit me and turned me into a vampire. She and Kankuro taught me the ways of the vampire, but it came with losses." He trailed off before taking another deep breath.

"I was never good at controlling my bloodlust. That was my weakness. My fiancé was washing the dishes after dinner when she accidentally cut her hand on a knife." I just listened.

"I smelled the blood and ran to the kitchen, thinking something had happened to her. I thought I could control myself long enough to help her if she was in trouble. But, her blood was too much for me. I…" he brought his head up and looked at me, sorrow in his jade eyes.

"I killed her. When Temari arrived, she found me holding her close; her throat practically ripped out. I begged Temari to change her, but it was already too late." I felt my eyes welling up as I looked at him. I'd never seen Gaara look so sad before. It was heartbreaking.

"That's why I was so distant at first. But you caught my attention for some reason. I felt so drawn to you." He held my head in his hands, wiping my tears away.

"That was decades ago, but today is the day it happened." His emotionless mask was now a face of regret and sadness. I knew where this was going.

"You'd never do that to me. You've learned to control it. Even if you did bite me, you wouldn't kill me." I choked out.

"You trust me?" He whispered, moving his face closer to mine.

"Yes." I whispered back. He kissed my forehead before kissing me. His lips were urgent and demanding against mine as his hands snaked down to hold my hips. My hands were against his pale chest, resting on the muscles there. Our tongues snaked over each other's in a fiery passion before he pulled away. I panted slightly, my face flushed and wet from my tears. He licked at the streams that had trailed down my face, tracing over my cheeks gently. I shivered before pulling his head up and kissing him. He responded with a usual growl as I ran my tongue over his sensitive canines. I giggled slightly but found him pushing me down onto the couch. I let him push me down, running my hands down his chest as I went. My head was on the armrest, lifting my head just enough so I could look at his reaction without having to crane my neck. He inhaled sharply before crawling on top of me. He kissed me again, sliding his tongue in and stroking my bottom lip lazily. I moaned in protest as he freed my lips to stare down at me. I arched, pressing my chest to his. His fingers were nimble as he undid the top buttons of my white uniform shirt..

"I won't take advantage of you Nori. I'm just testing myself." He whispered into my ear. I nodded as he looked at me. I saw his eyes drift to my neck as his eyes changed. He snarled and sat up, leaving me on the couch. I grabbed his hand and pulled him back to me.

"You haven't hunted yet?" My voice was firm despite the fact that we had just had a humungous make out session that left me dizzy. He just shook his head. Then an idea hit me.

"Bite me." He just looked at me, his yellow eyes wide.

"Like I said before. You won't hurt me. You've gained quite a lot of control over the years since then." I pulled him down to our previous position as I spoke. He still doubted himself.

"If the worst should happen, I'll use the curse mark to stop you." His eyes narrowed. I just pulled him to me again as he tried to leave.

"You'll never know your own self-control till you test it!" I hissed. He just looked at me before nodding. I kissed him before he trailed some open-mouthed kisses to my neck. He gently sucked at the spot, his fangs grazing over the flesh there. He hesitated, stiffening above me. I rolled my eyes and leaned forward. I bit down onto the juncture of his neck and shoulder without warning. A pleasurable hiss escaped his lips as I sucked on the skin there. After a minute of sucking, biting and licking I pulled away, letting my head rest on the couch arm. I a giant purple hicky was displayed on the spot I had just occupied.

"It's that simple Gaara." I whispered, looking into his eyes. He nuzzled my neck before letting his tongue dart out and lick the flesh there. I leaned my head to the side, giving him better access. He wrapped his arm around me, and without warning, bit into my neck. His fangs pierced the skin without difficulty. It was painful at first, but it soon turned to pleasurable feeling as he sucked on the wound his fangs had created. He didn't stay there long, and pulled away from my neck, licking the wound of excess blood before looking into my eyes. They had returned to their normal sea foam green color. I giggled a little bit and teased him.

"Was that so hard?" he just smirked before kissing me with an intensity I'd never felt before. He pulled me closer to him, rising so we were sitting up. We had begun another steamy make out session when my phone rang. I recognized the song I'd assigned Itachi some time ago. "Supermassive Black Hole" by Muse was his favorite song right now, and I'd decided to put that his ringtone. Gaara growled as I reached into the pocket of my discarded uniform jacket.

"Hello?" I answered, a little out of breath.

"You and Gaara need to come to the manor. Now." My brows furrowed as I began buttoning up my shirt.

"What's wrong Itachi?" there was a pause before he answered.

"Sasuke and Sakura ran away."


	10. Saving A Runaway Love

**What Brings Us Together**

**Chapter 10**

**Lili-chan: No one wants to do the disclaimer... *sniff sniff***

**Naruto: Aw, don't cry Lili-chan. I'll do the disclaimer!**

**Lili-chan: *looks up* r-really?**

**Naruto: Believe it!**

**Lili-chan: YAY!!!**

**Naruto: Lil-chan doesn't own me or the characters that were created by Kishimoto-san. BELIEVE IT!!!!**

**Lili-chan: Thank you Naruto!!! *hugs***

_I waited on the outskirts of the city for her to show up. I must've been out of mind when I came up with this. A gentle breeze ruffled the leaves of the tree I was leaning against. I ran my hand through my hair, when a swirl of pink cherry blossoms flurried 2 feet from where I was standing. Sakura appeared before me when the blossoms disappeared. _

"_What's the matter Sasuke? I got your voicemail when I left for school. You sounded desperate and it kinda had me worried." That's when I knew I wasn't crazy. Who cares if the elders were going to hunt me down? Who cares if I get killed? As long as she was with me… _

"_I'm leaving Sakura." Her peridot green eyes widened considerably. _

"_And I want you to come with me." She was silent at first, at loss for words. _

"_They'll_ kill _you Sasuke! Have you gone ma-"I cut her off by pressing my lips to hers. She froze at first, but eagerly parted her lips when my tongue licked her bottom lip. I pulled away, leaning my forehead against hers. _

"_I don't care. I'm willing to risk it all for you, blossom." I saw the crimson tears leaking from her eyes at my words. She wrapped her arms around my neck, hugging me close. I returned the embrace, kissing her forehead and stroking her hair. _

"_I love you Sasuke." She sobbed, her voice cracking. I cupped her chin and pulled her face up. I kissed her once more before returning her words. _

"_I love you Sakura." I then grabbed her wrist and took off, with her by my side._

I ported Noriko and me to the Uchiha manor after we properly, ahem, FIXED ourselves up after, well, you know. Hinata sat on the steps beside Naruto, their fingers entwined. TenTen was pacing in front of them, twirling two shuriken around her fingers. Kiba was stroking Akamaru's head, which was resting in Kiba's lap. Itachi had his arms crossed, one hand raised to pinch the bridge of his nose in between his thumb and forefinger.

"How long have they been gone?" Noriko asked, walking towards Itachi.

"I don't know. I tried following their scent, but they must've ported out of Konoha. I can't pick up anything." He growled, causing his wife to poke her head out.

"Megumi's grandfather is furious. They've already begun hunting." Itachi glared at her.

"Watch your mouth Yuki. That's my BROTHER you're talking about." She hissed at him, her garnet eyes flashing into glowing rubies. Itachi snarled, his Sharingan slowly forming the Mangekyo. She pulled back into the dining room before Itachi's gaze ensnared her into her darkest nightmares.

"Me and Akamaru tried to pick up a few leads earlier, but it didn't work." Kiba hung his head, causing Akamaru to whine slightly. Noriko pulled out her cell phone and called in a futile attempt to talk to her cousin and best friend. I saw Itachi's eyes return to black before he spoke.

"Nori, use the Rengoku." I growled.

"Do you want her to go BLIND, Uchiha? That's too risky!" I snarled. Nori shook her head.

"I don't even know how to use them Itachi! It'd never work!" She walked towards me, grabbing my hand.

"I'll help you. If we combine my magic with the energy generated from the curse mark, it'll do minimal damage to her eyes." Itachi stated matter-of-factly. I hissed quietly, but looked down at Noriko when she squeezed my hand.

"What exactly are the powers of the Rengoku, Itachi?" Great. One of Itachi's lectures of the powers. Brilliant.

"They're very similar to the Byakugan, which only manifested in the Hyuga clan before the vampires of the clan died off." He looked at Hinata, whose eyes were wide with wonder.

"Well, they are known to be able to track down purebloods. They came in handy when a pureblood went rogue. The Uchiha clan was in charge of slaying berserk vampires, like the police force of the vampire world, so to speak." He pushed off the wall and walked towards the dining room. Noriko let go of my hand and went to follow. I just grabbed it again and followed her into the dining room.

"Do not disturb us or our guests Yuki. I don't care that you're Suzuka-sama's granddaughter. I'll kill you, or even leave you." He stated coolly, walking past her to the Den. I smirked at her shocked expression as we followed the elder Uchiha into the Den. He sat on the couch, tying his hair back from his pale face. He gestured to the spot next to him before activating his Sharingan once more. Noriko gulped, squeezing my hand. I squeezed it back before she walked to the spot next to Itachi. I leaned against the wall by the TV in front of them, watching them.

"All right Nori. Just focus on the anger. Don't let the curse run rampant though." She nodded and closed her eyes, concentrating. Her hair swirled slightly as glowing, red, flame-like marks spread over her skin. The marks continued to spread over her face and arms, as well as her hands. The marks then stopped, and darkened to a black color. She opened her eyes, and I saw the same eyes from 3 months ago. Itachi then grabbed her head in between his hands and his Sharingan began to spin. She closed her eyes once more, and they grew still for many moments.

After 2 minutes passed, I noticed a single, red drop make its way down Noriko's cheek. Itachi let go of her head, before she fell back. I propelled myself forward, catching her before she hit the floor. Tears of blood were streaming down her eyes, staining her pale cheeks as they went. I ported to the dark blue bedroom and laid her onto the silken sheets. Itachi was right behind me. I grabbed him by the collar and slammed him up against the wall.

"WOULDN'T CAUSE MUCH DAMAGE? WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?" I pointed my head in her direction. That's when I saw them. His eyes were blood shot, and a few vessels were busted. Blood ran down his face in a similar manner to Noriko's.

"I took most of the damage." His voice was hoarse and rough. I released my hold on him before walking back to the bed. The blood had stopped, but her eyes remained closed. The black marks over her skin began to glow once more, and then receded down to the small pinwheel on her hip. I went to the bathroom and grabbed 2 washcloths. I wet them with warm water before returning to her. I tossed one to Itachi before sitting beside Noriko. I wasn't used to this sort of thing, so I was as gentle as I could be when I wiped the blood away from her face. When I was done I tossed to the clothesbasket.

"Did you see where Sasuke and Sakura were?" I broke the empty silence that had grown in the room.

"They're in Suna right now. The hunters are on their tail already." His voice was already starting to clear up.

"G-Gaara?" My head whipped around to Noriko, whose eyes were fluttering open.

"I'm here Nori. It's ok." I grabbed her hand, leaning forward and placing a kiss on her forehead. (XD Picture that!!! Gaara being sweet!!!! I wish I was Nori… T_T)

"We have to hurry to Suna! I saw a few more things when I passed out!!! The hunters had them cornered in an alley somewhere in Suna!!!" She shot up, but winced and grabbed her hip. I looked at Itachi, who nodded.

"I'll get Naruto and Kiba. We'll track them in Suna." He was out the door in a matter of seconds.

"I want to come with you guys! You'll need me to tell you where to go!" I just nodded and pulled her out of bed. She squeezed her eyes shut.

"I need to switch out my contacts for my glasses." She groaned and reached into her blazer's breast pocket. She pulled out a little white case and her leather glasses bag. I watched as she pulled out the clear lenses from her eyes and placed them into the solution filled bubbles of the container before sticking it back into her pocket. She whipped out her black-rimmed glasses and placed them on her face.

"Much better." She smiled before walking with me downstairs.

"So what if we're human! Sasuke and Sakura are our friends too! We want to help!" TenTen shrieked. The scene in front of the staircase was one of tension. Hinata had her hands on her hips, while TenTen was throwing a kunai up and down in her hand. Their eyes were narrowed at Itachi and Kiba.

"Just let them come with us! They have a point cousin." Noriko caught their attention. Itachi sighed.

"Fine. Naruto, you'll carry Hinata. Kiba, you'll take TenTen." Naruto jumped for joy while Kiba grumbled. TenTen just gave him a smack up his head. We walked outside; the bright sun was now disappearing behind the horizon. Itachi stood in front of us, staring off into the distance.

"We'll port to the outskirts so Kiba can shift without anyone noticing. Then we'll run the rest of the way." His voice was firm and monotone. A flock of ravens swarmed him and Kiba before they disappeared. Naruto held onto Hinata before swirling orange flames surrounded them and TenTen. I pulled Nori close when the sand began to swirl around us in a cloud. The sand disappeared, and we stood on the outskirts.

Kiba had removed his jacket and shirt, tossing them to TenTen before a sickening sound of cracking bones filled the air. Waves of brown fur spread over his body as it grew, ripping his pants to his thighs. He groaned and fell forward onto his hands, which were quickly becoming paws. When the sounds stopped, he stood on his hind legs, towering over us. He turned towards, and let his tongue loll out of his mouth in a cartoon manner. The girls and Naruto giggled at the wolf.

"Lets go." Itachi was already tensing up. I sighed and grabbed Nori, swinging around to carry her on my back. She got the signal and wrapped her legs around my waist and wrapping her arms around my neck. Naruto just bent his knees while Hinata jumped onto his back. He grabbed her legs while she held onto his shoulders. Kiba barked at TenTen, who was still in awe at the sight of him. She snapped back into reality and walked forward. He knelt down before TenTen jumped. He went onto all fours before howling to the rising moon. She grabbed fistfuls of his brown fur and leaned forward like a horse rider. Itachi crouched down before springing forward. We ran after him at a speed that was almost super sonic.

"Yeehaw!!!" TenTen crowed from Kiba's back. Noriko giggled and buried her face in the crook of my neck. I smirked and continued on.

"Hina-chan still awake?" TenTen called out to Naruto.

"I'm still awake TenTen!" Hinata squealed with exhilaration. I could only imagine how this felt to them.

"It feels like I'm flying!" Nori called out after she brought her face away from my neck. We continued running for 2 hours till we reached Suna. We stopped on the outskirts of the City Hidden the Sand so Kiba could shift. I looked out at my hometown and sighed. It was now a modern city, with buildings and bright lights. It wasn't the village that was tucked away in my memories.

I let Noriko down, as did Naruto and Kiba. They stopped for a second, before gripping their heads.

"I HATE VERTIGO!!!" Nori shrieked before falling to her knees. I just laughed to myself. They were suffering from a massive head rush. The dizziness was killing them. I walked over and crouched next to Nori.

"Tuck your head to your knees. It helps considerably." Nori sat on her butt and brought her knees up. She tucked her face to them and breathed slowly.

"So does chocolate!" a now human Kiba called out. His pants were ripped, but were still on. Thank god. If they weren't I'd be disturbed for centuries. When the girls had recovered, TenTen tossed Kiba's shirt and jacket to him. He pulled them on before we headed into the city.

"I know this place! I saw it earlier!" Noriko yelled and ran down the streets with us following. The sound of snarls and growls were heard from an alley.

"You stay here. We've got this." I growled out as I let my animal instincts take over. The girls nodded before Itachi, Kiba, Naruto, and me walked into the dark alley. It was a long alley, one that was perfect for vampire assassinations. We ghosted down the alley till we reached the end. Seven cloaked vampires had surrounded 2 other vampires. The pink hair was dead giveaway.

"If you are smart, you'll leave my brother and his companion alone." Itachi's voice caught the hunter vampires' attention. They whirled around, looking at us with bright red eyes. I glared at the 2 that were in front of me. They snarled at me, and I roared. They shrunk back for a second before crouching.

"They're worth a lot of money. I won't give up on them so easily." The leader snarled, reaching for a silver dagger. Kiba flinched, but stood his ground.

"Then we'll just have to kill you." My flat tone was accompanied by a hissing sound. The vampires looked around, and saw the sand that was forming on my back. It formed a large gourd on my back, carrying a good amount of sand in it. The sand continued to form as it coated my skin, forming an armor that encased my body.

"You can try!" the leader roared before launching towards Kiba. Kiba wasn't as fast, so a hit from the dagger was guaranteed. My sand was faster though. It formed a shield in front of Kiba, breaking the blade of the dagger. The sand then came to shield me from the 2 vampires in front of me. After it blocked their hits, it enveloped one of them in a coffin of crushing sand. I grasped the others head in between my hands and squeezed. His head was crushed, spraying blood all over my hands. I looked at the others and smirked. Naruto had driven his hand through the heart of one while Kiba had torn the head off another. Itachi had one vampire on his knees, clutching his head in between his hands. No doubt he was in the nightmare realm of the Mangekyo, Tsukoyomi, while he ripped another's throat out with his teeth. He then broke the kneeling ones neck before crushing his head under his foot.

One remained, cowering in the corner. I just smirked, and my sand formed a long javelin. I hurled it at his throat, piercing through and pinning him to the wall. I removed the javelin then speared it through his heart. The sand that coated my skin lost its shape and fell to the ground, as did the javelin and my gourd. Sasuke and Sakura stood before us, eyes wide.

"You're coming back to Konoha. We need to talk." Itachi said coldly before walking out of the alley. I turned and followed. Nori looked at me, then at a bloodstained Itachi.

"Are they ok?" I nodded before walking to stand beside her. The others came out, and there were mixed emotions amongst us.

"Let's port home. It's easier and faster. We'll just need to rest." Itachi words were flat as he ported out of sight. The rest of us ported to the manor.

After we got cleaned up from our fight, we were in the Den. Naruto and Hinata were on the beanbag while Kiba and TenTen were on the couch. Itachi sat in one of the recliners, staring at his brother coldly. I was lying on the floor with my head in Nori's lap. Sasuke and Sakura sat on the couch. An uncomfortable silence filled the air.

"Say what you're going to say Itachi." Sasuke glared at his older brother.

"What were you thinking Sasuke? You know the laws of our world! The elders are ruthless and have no qualms whatsoever about killing!" The elder Uchiha snarled. Sasuke's face remained calm.

"They're just a bunch of old men who would find any reason to kill. The Uchiha clan was the royalty of the vampire world until Aya disgraced us! They'll find any reason to put the last of the Uchiha out of the picture!" Sasuke's temper flared slightly at the end of his sentence.

"But did you have to leave without telling us your plans!" Noriko's voice caught my attention. I looked up at her. She was glaring at Sasuke and Sakura with malice in her eyes.

"We could have distracted them long enough for you to get away! We would have played along!" she continued. I felt a tear hit my face. I sat up and pulled her to me, so she was sitting between my legs. I held her quivering form as she continued.

"We love you guys! We'd do anything to help you! But you guys don't seem to know that!" she sobbed. Sakura was about to say something when I looked at her. She closed her mouth and hung her head in shame. Sasuke clenched his fist and looked away from Nori. I kissed her shoulder and rubbed her arms, trying to comfort her shaking body.

"Because of your little Romeo and Juliet runaway act, Nori's sight and body are deteriorating faster and Itachi's sight is getting worst." I added. Sasuke shot up from his seat.

"What are you talking about?" he snarled. Sakura brought her head back up and looked at Nori.

"She had to use the Rengoku, which means she would have to activate the curse mark. Itachi helped her by trying to take on some of the damage. It cost them both." I added coldly, pulling Noriko close.

"You needed to think this over before you ran off! Look what's happened now teme!" Naruto added.

"Naruto's right guys. Even if it was spur of the moment, at least leave a note or something. We were all worried." TenTen said.

"For being really smart Sasuke, you were pretty stupid today." Kiba received a glare from the younger Uchiha. Sasuke then looked to glare at me, but I glared right back.

"Look at what you two did to Nori." I growled. When they didn't, my temper flared.

"LOOK AT WHAT YOU FUCKING DID TO HER!!!" I roared. Sakura looked at Nori's sobbing form in my arms. Sasuke did the same, and for once, I saw sadness in his cold eyes.

"Look at her eyes." I commanded. Nori looked at Sasuke and I know what he saw. Her black eyes were clouding and turning into a dark gray color. Her now visible pupils weren't dilated right, and you could tell she couldn't see very well.

Sakura got off the couch and walked towards us. She knelt in front of Noriko.

"I have no right to apologize. I've taken something from you and I didn't have the right." Sakura's voice was shaky as crimson tears began to form in her green eyes.

"But for the record, I'm sorry Noriko. You don't have to forgive me, but just know that I am so sorry." She reached out to hug Noriko. I let her, but didn't move from my spot on the floor.

"You know I can't stay mad at you Saku." Noriko choked out between her sobs. They stayed there for a few moments before Sakura let Noriko go and sat down beside us. Sasuke stood there, frozen in place as the dread began to spread over his pale face.

"Nori…I… I…" for once he was at a loss for words. He fell to his knees in front of her, a crimson tear falling down his cheek. Noriko just looked at Sasuke.

"Forgive me, Nori. I wasn't thinking. I never meant to do this to you… I-I" He hung his head as more tears streamed down his cheeks. I'd never seen Sasuke cry. I don't think anyone has ever seen him cry. Nori just leaned forward and embraced him. She stroked his hair softly, almost in a mother-like gesture as he cried into her shoulder.

"Shh Sasuke. It's ok. I'm still here. So is Itachi. So is Gaara, Naruto, Hinata, TenTen, and Kiba." Her voice was soothing and completely maternal. She finally let go of him and pulled away. She smiled gently at him, and we all about died at the next sight. Sasuke smiled back and nodded sitting by Sakura. We were all silent for a moment as this all sank in.

"You can stay here for the night. Don't you girls have a concert tomorrow?" Itachi stood and headed towards the doors.

"H-hai. Tomorrow is also Noriko's solo debut." Sakura smiled towards Nori. I picked up Nori and carried her to her room.

"I can walk silly panda. I'm ok." She giggled quietly.

"So? Doesn't mean I'll let you walk." I smirked as I placed her on the bed. She pouted before getting out of the bed.

"I need pajamas silly." She walked to the drawers beside the vanity table. I frowned as she rummaged through the drawers.

"I know I had one of Itachi's old t-shirts in here!" she said, digging through the drawers with determination. I just smirked at her attempts.

"Aha!" she squealed in triumph, holding an oversized black t-shirt with a red cloud on the front. The small Uchiha crest was right below the neckline on the back of the shirt. She smiled and walked to the changing screen. I just shook my head and listened to her humming. She walked out from the screen and to the bed. The shirt fit her like a mini dress. She crawled in and under the covers before looking at me.

"Are you gonna go home? Or are you gonna stay here?" she tilted her head to the side at me. I kicked off my Vans before joining her. She used my chest for a pillow, running her hand over my stomach while I twirled a strand of her hair on my finger.

"Gaara?" she looked up at me, taking her glasses off and tossing them onto the nightstand.

"Hm?" I responded, using some sand to guide the glasses to their destination and land gently onto the small table.

"You wanna come to the concert tomorrow?" she asked sleepily. I smirked and kissed her gently.

"Sure. Love to." She smiled before her cloudy eyes closed and her breathing grew deep. I watched her sleep the entire night. I didn't want to miss a single thing…


	11. Uh oh

**What Brings Us Together**

**Chapter 11**

**Sakura: Lili-chan! Can i do the disclaimer.**

**Lili-chan: Sure. Go ahead.**

**Sakura: Lili doesn't own any of the Naruto characters or ANY of the songs used in this chapter. R&R PLEEZ!!!**

**Lili-chan: Thank you Sakura!**

"Nori. Wake up." A certain voice was trying to wake me from my peaceful slumber. I groaned and snuggled closer into his chest.

"Tsunade called saying that she needed to talk to you." He was a persistent sucker.

"Five more minutes." I mumbled as I turned over and pulled the covers over my head. My eyes shot open when I felt his mouth on my neck. He gently bit down onto my neck. I moaned quietly at the feel of his canines scraping the skin on the sensitive spot of my neck. He pulled his mouth away and chuckled.

"I knew that'd wake you up." I threw the blankets off me and turned to him.

"That's cheating." I pouted. He just smirked and kissed my forehead. I stretched before stepping out of bed and headed towards the bathroom. I yawned loudly before turning the faucet on. I splashed my face cold water before grabbing the spare toothbrush from beneath the sink. I brushed my teeth and hair before walking out. Gaara was walking in, with a duffel bag full of stuff.

"Sakura brought you a few things for you to choose from." He tossed it onto the bed before walking into the bathroom. I smiled and dove for the duffel bag. I looked through the articles of clothing that Sakura had brought me. I had to pick one dress for my solo songs and whatever else for my songs with the girls. That's when my phone started playing "Story Of A Girl" which was Tsunade's caller id. I pulled it out from under the pillow and flipped it open.

"Hello?" I answered. "Noriko! Are you ready for the show?" Tsunade's voice sounded somewhat stressed. Probably hadn't had any sake today.

"Yeah. We're over here at my family's manor and then we'll be over there." There was a pause.

"It starts in 45 minutes Noriko." I froze.

"OH SHIT!!! I GOTTA HURRY! I'LL SEE YOU THERE TSUNADE-SAMA!!!!" I shrieked before hanging up and grabbing my outfits. I dressed in a pair of torn black jeans with my bright blue tights underneath and a black shirt with blue angel wings on the back. I put my hair in two high ponytails and pulled on my black converse. The jeans hung low and showed my curse mark proudly.

Gaara came out of the bathroom right then.

"Need me to port you there?" he already knew the answer.

"Yes please! Are the others already there?" I grabbed the duffel bag before he pulled me outside and the sand swirled around us. We appeared in the dressing room, where Sakura, TenTen, and Hinata were waiting.

"Glad to see you made it Nori. You ready?" Sakura waved from her seat, drumsticks in hand.

"Almost. I can't pick a dress for my solo." Hinata walked forward to the duffel bag I'd brought with me. She dove in, pulling out 3 different dresses that Sakura had picked out.

"You should wear this one Nori-chan." Hinata pointed to a black halter dress. The skirt was short in the front, and flowed longer in the back. She pulled out a pair black heeled sandals that had long silk ribbons that would wrap around my calves.

"Thanks Hina-chan." I hugged her tightly when the call came.

"The boys are on stage right if you wanna join them Gaara." TenTen winked as she walked out. Her tight camouflage skinny jeans went well with her torn black top and knee high combat boots. Hinata followed, her white t-shirt with a giant black gothic cross on the front went perfectly with her acid washed skinnies and knee high white Converse. Sakura smiled before she followed them out. She wore a black and pink plaid schoolgirl skirt with her pink knee high tights and black converse and a pink polo with a black guitar across her back.

I grabbed my bright blue special SG guitar and headed out the door. I got a quick kiss from Gaara before walking out on stage. The crowd cheered as we took our places.

"Hey guys! We're Angels Cry! Enjoy the show!"

I watched them as they performed. Naruto was cheering on Hinata, Kiba howling dramatically, and Sasuke just watching along with me.

"Shut up you two! I can hear you more then I can hear them!" Tsunade scolded Naruto and Kiba.

"Sorry baa-chan." Naruto hung his head like a little boy.

"You people enjoying yourselves out there?" Nori panted into the mic. They screamed in response.

"This goes to 2 of my greatest friends. They'd hit a bit of a rough patch some time ago. You know who you guys are!" Noriko took a swig of water and looked back at Sakura. Sakura smirked and clicked her sticks together 3 times before Nori strummed her guitar, bringing her lips to the microphone.

**(Die For You by Megan McCauley)**

_Your fear_

_It moves me_

_Your weakness_

_I taste_

_I breathe you_

_I hate you_

_You course through my veins_

_And now!_

_And now!_

_You want me_

_You love me_

_And I hate myself_

_I need you_

_But I hate you_

_Cause I want nothing else_

_And I bleed you _

_Since I've healed you_

_Your pain escapes through me_

_Cause I breathe you_

_But I hate you_

_Cause they said we could never be_

_They can't see_

_I know I _

_Shouldn't love you_

_There's just too much to fake_

_But you see me_

_And I feel you_

_And I am not afraid_

_I'm not afraid_

_And I bleed you _

_Since I've healed you_

_Your pain escapes through me_

_Cause I breathe you_

_But I hate you_

_Cause they said we could never_

_It seems the pain's been_

_Traded_

_Since I've brought you through_

_And now my mind's been_

_So jaded_

_And I would kill myself_

_For you_

_(I'd die for you)_

_And I bleed you _

_Since I've healed you_

_Your pain escapes through me_

_Cause I breathe you_

_But I hate you_

_Cause they said we could never_

_And I bleed you _

_Since I've healed you_

_But I hate you_

_But I breathe you_

_And I see you_

_And I feel you_

_And I hate you _

_But I'd die for you_

_I die for you _

_Oooooh…_

People screamed when she finished, waving signs and jumping. They all walked forward and bowed before running off stage. TenTen jumped into Kiba's arms, making him carry her bridal style. Naruto hugged Hinata and spun her around. Sakura ran to Sasuke, who planted a kiss on her forehead. Nori ran at me and jumped towards me. I held her bridal style, spinning once before kissing her gently and placing her on the ground.

"Sorry to interrupt, but she's got 15 minutes to doll herself up after that work out." Tsunade put a hand on Nori's shoulder before dragging her off. Hinata was forced to follow. I sighed and resumed my position against the wall.

"I had no idea she finished that song!" Sakura squealed.

"She showed it to me a while back. Then she thought of the break up with you and Sasuke. She had bolted to her notebook and jotted it down." I informed her.

"I remember when she first got the idea for it." Sakura closed her eyes, reminiscing probably. They chatted amongst themselves till Nori came running. I froze when I saw her.

Her blue-black hair was pulled back into a low bun with a blue rose pinned to it. Her dress was a halter-top, showing her smooth shoulders. The skirt was short, but flowed in longer waves as it reached the back. Black satin ribbon wrapped around her calves from her heeled sandals. Her eyes were framed in black, making the slant slightly. Her full lips were a deep crimson color, and her long lashes batted dramatically. She must've seen my stunned look, and a smirk played across her tantalizing lips. She skipped forward and kissed my cheek. She giggled and walked on stage. The crowd cheered as she stood before the mic. I saw Hinata standing with a group of girls that would be her back up singers. She wore a silver gown that matched the other two girls.

"Looks like I'm back!" Nori cheered. The crowd roared with delight. "As you know, KUNOICHI records has decided to have me record a solo album of mostly ballads or love songs. Here's a sneak peek of it." She then paused, thinking.

"Oh before I forget! Just kidding. This song goes out to my inspiration. He knows who he is." She winked in my direction before she snapped her fingers. She drew the mic closer and began to sing.

**(Right Here (Departed) by Brandy)**

_When you feel our heart's guarded_

_And you see the break started_

_When the clouds have all departed_

_You'll be right here with me_

_You'll be right here with me_

_Oh-oh_

_You'll be right here with me_

_When you're life is going too fast_

_Off the train tracks_

_I can slow it down_

_Just when you think you bout to turn back_

_Scared you might crash_

_I'll be your ground_

When you feel our heart's guarded

_And you see the break started_

_When the clouds have all departed_

_You'll be right here with me_

_When your tears have dried from cryin'_

_And the world has turned to silent_

_When the clouds have all departed_

_You'll be right here with me_

_I'll be right here with you_

_You'll be right here with me_

_I'll be right here with you_

_You'll be right here with me_

_When you're so trapped and there's just no key_

_And you can't breathe_

_I'll breathe for you_

_The fire's got you down on both knees_

_And the walls are closing in_

_But I'll be breakin' through_

_Wooh wooh_

_And when you feel alone_

_Imma be ya home_

_When others come and go_

_Ya know I got you_

When you feel our heart's guarded

_And you see the break started_

_When the clouds have all departed_

_You'll be right here with me_

_When your tears have dried from cryin'_

_And the world has turned to silent_

_When the clouds have all departed_

_You'll be right here with me_

_I will be there_

_Right be side you _

_Every step you take_

_I will be your strength_

_Your shelter_

_Shield you from the rain_

_Oh_

_When you feel_

When you feel our heart's guarded

_And you see the break started_

_When the clouds have all departed_

_You'll be right here with me_

_When your tears have dried from cryin'_

_And the world has turned to silent_

_When the clouds have all departed_

_You'll be right here with me_

When you feel our heart's guarded

_And you see the break started_

_When the clouds have all departed_

_You'll be right here with me_

_When your tears have dried from cryin'_

_And the world has turned to silent_

_When the clouds have all departed_

_You'll be right here with me_

_I'll be right here with you_

_You'll be right here with me_

_I'll be right here with you_

_You'll be right here with me_

_I'll be right here with you_

_You'll be right here with me_

_I'll be right here with you_

_You'll be right here with me, yeah_

The crowd cheered at her performance. She smiled and bowed.

"Hope you're enjoying things so far. Here's another one for ya!" Hinata seated herself in front of a white grand piano, and played a soft tune.

**(I Hate This Part by PCD)**

_We're driving slow_

_Through the snow_

_On fifth avenue_

_And right now_

_Radio's all that we can here_

_Now we ain't talk_

_Since we left_

_It's so overdue_

The world

_Slows down_

_But my heart _

_Beats fast right now_

_I know_

_This is_

_The part_

_Where the end starts_

_I can't take it any longer_

_Thought that we were stronger_

_All we do is linger_

_Slipping through my fingers_

_I don't wanna try now_

_All that's left's goodbye to_

_Find a way that I can tell you_

_I hate this part right here_

_I hate this part right here_

_I just can't take your tears_

_I hate this part right here_

_Everyday_

_7 takes _

_Of the same old scene_

_Seems we're bound_

_By the laws_

_Of the same routine_

_Gotta talk _

_To you now_

_Before we go to sleep_

_But will we sleep_

_Once I tell you_

_It's hurting me_

The world

_Slows down_

_But my heart _

_Beats fast right now_

_I know_

_This is_

_The part_

_Where the end starts_

_I can't take it any longer_

_Thought that we were stronger_

_All we do is linger_

_Slipping through my fingers_

_I don't wanna try now_

_All that's left's goodbye to_

_Find a way that I can tell you_

_I hate this part right here_

_I hate this part right here_

_I just can't take your tears_

_I hate this part right here_

_I know you'll ask me to hold on_

_Carry on like nothing's wrong_

_But there is no more time for lies_

_Cause I've seen sunset in your eyes_

_I can't take it any longer_

_Thought that we were stronger_

_All we do is linger_

_Slipping through my fingers_

_I don't wanna try now_

_All that's left's goodbye to_

_Find a way that I can tell you_

_That I gotta do it_

_I gotta do it_

_I gotta do it_

_I hate this part_

_I gotta do it_

_I gotta do it!_

_I GOTTA DO IT!!!!!_

_Oh…_

_I hate this part right here_

_I hate this part right here_

_I just can't take these tears_

_I hate this part right here…_

Noriko had let her voice go free on the last lines of the "I gotta do it" part. So much that she went to her knees. She threw her arms out while the crowd screamed. She walked forward and bowed before walking offstage. She walked towards us with a smile on her face. Then her cloudy eyes widened before she coughed harshly.

She had a coughing fit. The coughing continued even as she fell forward. I caught her and went on one knee, resting her head onto the raised one. She was still coughing when I saw it. Blood streamed from her lips and into her hand as she covered her mouth. When she finished coughing, she looked at the red fluid that stained her hands in horror. Her eyes widened, before sliding shut. My sand flew around us when Naruto gave us an opening by going crowd surfing. We all ported to the manor into the bedroom as I lay her on the floor.

"What's going on?" TenTen shrieked as she knelt on the floor next to Noriko.

"The curse mark must've done more damage then we thought." I hissed as I shook her. Her heart was fluttering and beating irregularly. I heard her choke when I realized what had happened. She was drowning in her own blood. She had pushed too far and her body couldn't handle it. I started pressing on her chest, 1, 2, 3 times before plugging her nose and pressing my lips to hers. I breathed air into her before pressing my ear against her chest. She still wasn't breathing Her heartbeat was beginning to slow down as I continued my efforts. Naruto had ported in with Hinata when her heart stopped completely.


	12. The Final Decision

**Lili-chan: God... i dnt feel like doing a disclaimer...**

**SparklyLipgloss777: Well too bad you have to**

**Lili-chan: Itachi-kun! Would you be a sweet heart and do the disclaimer pleez!**

**Itachi: Lili-chan doesn't own Naruto or any of the characters of that world.**

**What Brings Us Together**

**Chapter 12**

"NORIKO!!!!" Gaara roared in anguish, still continuing his efforts to clear her airways. Sakura looked at me with tears streaming down her face.

"Sasuke… Help her… Please…" I flew forward to try and help my cousin. My brain was wracking itself when an idea hit. I focused my magic into my left hand, and electricity began to form. Lightning enshrouded my hand, crackling dangerously.

"Move Gaara!" He shot up and I slammed my hand onto Nori's chest. Her chest flew up slightly before falling back. Still no heart beat. I did again, and again, and again. Three more times and her heart started. Gaara had cleared her lungs out, and she was breathing once again. There was an air of relief as the girls shooed us out to change Noriko.

"Uchiha." I turned to Gaara, who was walking towards me.

"What is it Sabaku?" he just stared at me.

"I want to say thank you. You saved her." He gestured to the closed door behind us.

"It's the least I could do after putting her through hell." I responded quickly.

"Damn right it is." Gaara growled. I smirked and continued to walk to the Den. Yuki and Itachi were there, arguing.

"Fuck you Itachi! I don't care if he's your brother! He's a dead man!" Yuki shrieked before my brother pinned her to the wall by her neck.

"You have 2 choices Yuki. You can leave and never see me again, or you can stay and die right here." Itachi growled. Yuki just squirmed, unable to release herself from my brother's chokehold.

"You're not even worth it." He released her, letting her slide down the wall.

"Get your things and get out." He growled at her shivering form. She didn't waste any time in getting out of the room.

"How's Nori? I heard things, but Yuki was being… difficult." I filled him on the situation when he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in between his thumb and pointer.

"The curse is moving faster now that her body's getting weaker and weaker." He growled out in distress. There was a sad silence as we thought about the curse eating away at my cousin's body.

"There's nothing we can do but wait for her decision on the matter. Just relax." Itachi finally broke it, putting in a movie as the girls joined us. Sakura sat beside me, leaning against my body.

"How is she?" she just stared at the menu for "Wanted" before answering.

"She's still out, but she's breathing and her heartbeat is steady." She finally replied. I kissed her hair before leaning my head on hers.

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"Noriko…" something was whispering my name in the blackness that had enveloped me. I felt weightless, like I was underwater in a deep dark ocean. The voice continued to call me as I floated through limbo. The voice was getting closer and closer, until I saw something piercing through the darkness.

"Noriko, honey, can you hear me?" I bolted up and saw a woman walking towards me. She wore a simple robe of the purest white, the hood drawn up over a head of hair similar to mine. Her face was exactly like mine, with pale skin and big eyes. Her eyes were an icy blue, almost silver color.

"Wh-Who are you?" my voice cracked out. The woman smiled, showing her perfect white teeth. I noticed a pair of fangs in the top row. She was a vampire.

"I'm your mother, Nori." Her voice was soft and gentle. It seemed so familiar to me.

"My mother is dead." I retorted her claim. She just chuckled before pulling her hood back, releasing a waterfall of blue-black hair. She turned, moving her hair to the side, and showed me the Uchiha crest on the back of the robe.

"I know. But, you're sleeping dear. I'm just a ghost, one that was sent to tell you the answer to your problems." I still didn't trust her, but she held a hand out to me, and began to sing gently. It was a wordless tune that I recognized from my distant memories. Oh god… she WAS my mother. I felt a tear stream down my face at the realization.

"Don't cry sweetie. I'm here. It's alright." She took me into her arms and stroked my hair.

"Listen Noriko. I don't have much time, for you'll wake soon. But I came to tell you that there is a solution to the curse." I looked up into her blue eyes.

"But, you KNOW deep down inside what that solution is." I just shook my head.

"I don't want to be vampire… I'd rather die." I choked out.

"And be without HIM?" I froze at her words. She just looked at me.

"You know what choice needs to be made Noriko. And deep down inside you, you know that choice." She began to pull away from me. I held onto her, struggling for words to come to me.

"It's all up to you Nori." She smiled before she began to fade. "I love you, my dear sweet little girl." She completely vanished, leaving me in the darkness.

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"Are you ok Gaara?" I snapped my head up to Sakura. Her eyes were filled with concern as she stared at me.

"Hn." I mumbled from my spot on the far end of the couch.

"If you're so worried about her, go and check up on her." She chuckled. Sasuke smirked a little bit as the sand swarmed around me. I ported up to Noriko's room. She was still asleep, her face a mask of peaceful slumber. I sat on the edge of the bed beside her and grabbed her hand. A lock of hair was splayed across her cheek, covering her moonstone skin. I pushed it aside gently, tucking it behind her ear. I noticed her smirk and slowly open her eyes. They were cloudier then before, but still held that glint in them.

"That tickled." She giggled hoarsely. I just smirked and ran my thumb over her cheek again. She smiled up at me, her pale lips drawn back.

"You scared the shit outta me Nori." I mumbled. She widened her eyes and gasped dramatically.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry! I scared THE Sabaku no Gaara! Heaven forbid!" she let a hand drape over her face, hiding her eyes.

"Now you have to pay for that." I growled next to her ear. I felt her jump as I kissed her neck.

"Down boy. You can punish me when I'm better." She teased. I gave her ear lobe a gentle nibble before pulling away.

"How are you feeling?" I asked more seriously. She closed her eyes and tried sitting up. I lifted her up easily into a sitting position before she answered.

"A little froggy to be honest. And the mark is stinging like a bitch. Other then that, I feel fine." She tried clearing her throat after she spoke.

"_This is the story of a girl, who cried a river and drowned the whole world!"_ I reached into my pocket and pulled out Nori's cell phone.

"Hello?" I answered.

"WHERE IS NORI? I WANNA TALK TO HER!" Tsunade shrieked into the phone.

"She isn't feeling well right now Tsunade-san. I'll have her call you later." It came out a little harsher then I intended, but she got the message.

"Ok. If you don't tell her Gaara-kun, I'll make you wish you'd never been born." She growled.

"Sure" Was all I said before I hung up on her. I'd love to see her try.

"She's worried isn't she?" Nori looked at me with a somewhat sheepish look.

"Yeah. She wanted to talk to you, but you can call her later." I laced my fingers with hers as I spoke.

"Ok. Um, can you carry me downstairs please?" she asked sweetly. I took her into my arms and walked out of the room. They had put her in a pair of sweats with a blue t-shirt, Uchiha crest showing on the back. I went into the Den, and everyone turned to look at us.

"Yay! Nori-chan's awake!" Naruto crowed from the floor.

"Quiet down dobe. She probably just woke up." Sasuke glared.

"Screw you teme!" Naruto threw Sasuke the bird.

"Sorry dobe. I don't swing that way." He retorted with a smirk.

"I'M NOT GAY!!!!" Naruto yelled. Hinata then clasped her hand over Naruto's mouth, muffling his argument.

"How are you feeling Nori?" Itachi asked quietly. I sat in the empty recliner and laid her down on me, opening the leg rest.

"Pretty good actually. The mark's stinging and I sound like I swallowed a frog, but I'm ok." She grinned.

"You missed the movie though! It was so good!" TenTen bounced on the beanbag.

"What movie?" She looked up at me, raising an eyebrow. "Itachi put on 'Wanted' with Angelina What's-her-face." Kiba answered, placing his head in TenTen's lap.

"Oh. Was it good?" They then launched into observations and arguments over the movie, with Nori listening to them all. Then Yuki crashed into the room, with several white robed vampires following. She pointed at Itachi before shouting.

"He threatened to kill me!" she screamed like a banshee before pointing at Sasuke and Sakura.

"And there are the fugitives! Get them!" The vampires launched at us in a split second. My sand barely reacted in time to shield Noriko and me from a silver long-sword that had been thrown towards us. I placed Nori beneath me, rougher then I should have, but I had to protect her. I let the sand coat my skin before crushing 2 of them. Sasuke and Itachi were slicing through the assassins with blinding speed, while Naruto tossed Hinata onto Kiba's back.

"Get them out of here!" he roared before a blue sphere began to spin in his hand. He rammed it straight through 3 of the vampires. Several silver daggers were thrown at Kiba, but my sand was faster. It knocked the blades aside while Kiba jumped through the window. Sakura was holding her own, porting all over the room to distract them before crushing their head or shoving her hand through their chests. When the bloody battle was over, Yuki was left cowering in the corner.

Itachi walked forward then, crouching in front of her.

"You DARE bring assassins into this manor? I warned you Yuki. But it seems I've been too soft with you." He grabbed her by the throat and brought her up against the wall.

"Please Itachi-kun. Don't k-kill me." She whimpered.

"What gives you the right to beg for mercy, Suzuka? My brother isn't merciful when it comes to people disrespecting him or his family." Sasuke hissed, his Sharingan glowing. Itachi smirked before growling menacingly. I smirked while Naruto waved as Itachi bit into her throat. Yuki shrieked as Itachi ripped out her throat, spraying blood all over him and the wall. He then bit into her again, sucking her dry as she screamed in horror and pain. Her screams eventually faded till they stopped completely. Itachi let her body drop with an empty thud, licking his lips clean. I ran over to Noriko. She was ok, but her ears were covered.

"Could she possibly BE ANY louder?" she grimaced as she removed her hands from her ears. I smirked before picking her up and porting her back into the bedroom.

"You don't want to see that mess." I answered her confused look. Her mouth made a small "o" as she nodded. Everyone joined us eventually, clean and blood free I might add.

"I have a feeling that this isn't over. They'll come again, especially now that Yuki's dead." Sasuke sighed, pulling Sakura to him.

"I agree. We'll have bounties on our heads now. The elders will probably stop at nothing to kill us." Itachi growled. Noriko looked at me, then at her cousins, then at her hands.

"How long do you think it'll take for them to come?" she asked, her voice cracking slightly.

"Two, maybe three days. We've killed an heir to the Elders council. It's top priority for them now." Sasuke answered.

"They'll be after all of us, except maybe Hinata, TenTen, and Nori. We've killed royal guards and an heir." Naruto added glumly. Hinata gasped before looking at him. TenTen's lip began to quiver as she grabbed Kiba's hand.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but if I'm gonna die, I'm gonna go out fighting." We all looked at Kiba. He returned our gazes.

"I agree with Kiba." They all looked at me and I just shrugged.

"If we get enough people, we could take them on." Sakura's voice was a somewhat sad attempt at enthusiasm. I saw the Uchiha brothers look at each other, then smirk.

"All of us should be able to take them on. Hinata, TenTen, and Noriko could wait for us here." Itachi looked at the girls.

"You're funny Itachi. I can help you guys." I looked at Noriko with shock. Everyone did.

"No." I said firmly. She glared at me.

"Yes. I can use the curse mark and help you guys. I CAN fight you know. I'm an Uchiha after all." She said firmly.

"Nori, if you use the mark," Sasuke began, looking at her.

"Yeah I know. I might not survive. But like Kiba said. I would want to go out fighting. I know what I need to do." Her cloudy eyes were hard and firm with determination and stubbornness.

"I know what I must become…" She whispered quietly. My eyes widened. She couldn't be serious.

"Well, we do have a greater chance if Nori's with us." Sakura spoke, grabbing our attention.

"The curse possesses a great amount of power. I researched it some time ago. We'd have an incredible advantage over the vampires." She smiled at Noriko.

"Don't encourage her Sakura." I growled.

"You don't control Nori. It's her choice. Itachi said to wait for her choice. Now that we know what she wants, we should grant her that." Sakura growled at me. I snarled before glaring at her.

"We'll stay here at the manor. Sakura, you go to your apartment and pack some things for you and Nori." Sakura was off in a shower of crimson cherry blossoms.

"Naruto, you take Hinata and TenTen to their apartments so they can pack as well. You pack for yourself as well." Naruto grinned and gave the thumbs up before disappearing with Hinata and TenTen in a firestorm.

"Sasuke, you take Kiba to his place so he can do the same." There was a crash of thunder and the wolf and younger Uchiha were gone.

"Gaara. I'll watch Noriko so you can go prepare." Itachi looked at me, then at Nori.

"Hn" Was all I said before I ported into my apartment. Temari had just walked in.

"Where've you been? Me and Kankuro were starting to get worried about you." She had an armful of papers from the school and her bag.

"I'm staying at the Uchiha manor for a few days." I stated coldly.

"Wha? Why?" she shrieked. "Nothing important. Nori's feeling a little sick and she's staying there with her cousins." I answered quickly as I headed into my room. She followed.

"Now that you mentioned her, can you tell me why I smelled Uchiha blood on the couch and carpet in the living room?" her voice was hard.

"I bit her is all. Don't worry. That's not why she's sick." I added, grabbing my stuff and tossing into a duffel bag.

"Gaara you need to tell me what's going on." She hissed.

"I've told you, Temari-sama. Noriko is sick." I growled as I finished packing. I zipped the bag closed and tossed it onto my back, walking out of the room to grab a few CD's and movies.

"Gaara…" I ported out of the apartment and into Noriko's room. Itachi stood by the wall, watching a sleeping Noriko.

"How long has she been out?" I asked, dropping my bag on the floor.

"She just fell asleep about two seconds ago actually." Itachi walked to the door slowly.

"She doesn't have a lot of time Gaara. Spend every moment you can with her." His normally monotone voice had an underlying hint of sadness in it.

"Will do." I added, walking over to the bed. Her face was peaceful as she slept. I didn't want to wake her so I just sat on the edge of the bed quietly and watched her. I know it sounds like a stalker thing, but I enjoyed watching her sleep. I often snuck into her room at night just to watch her. Don't jump to conclusions you sickos.

I heard Naruto downstairs, shouting at Sasuke, who was threatening to throw Naruto's ramen out if he wasn't quiet. I heard Nori stir, and looked to see her eyes open.

"I fell asleep again?" she asked wearily. I just chuckled and nodded. She sat up and stretched, raising her arms above her head. Her stomach growled rather loudly, shattering the quiet silence. I almost busted out laughing as she blushed, clutching her stomach.

"Let's go and get you something to eat, Sleeping Beauty." I pulled her out of bed, but she shooed me off.

"I can walk Gaara!" she laughed, waving me off. I just grabbed her hand, and she laced her fingers with mine as we walked downstairs. She dragged me into the kitchen before fumbling through the cabinets. She found no food in the cabinets above, so she bent over to look below. I couldn't but look at her, well, you know.

"I can't see a damn thing without my glasses." She grumbled as she continued to search. She finally pulled out a cup of instant ramen. I watched her as she prepared it, pouring the hot water in and letting it sit and steam. The subtle movements were all but captivating. The way she moved her arm, or the small turn of her wrist as she poured, they all caught my attention, tempting me. I finally succumbed while she stood waiting for the ramen. I walked to her and turned her around.

"Eek!" I silenced her small scream by pressing her lips to mine gently as I wrapped my arms around her small waist. Her arms snaked around my neck, pulling me down more. I licked and nibbled at her bottom lip, seeking entrance into her mouth, which she granted eagerly. Our tongues slid over each other's in a dance as I pulled her up and sat her on the counter. She hesitantly opened her legs to me, and I fit myself between her knees before pulling away so she could breathe. Her cheeks were a pleasant shade of red, and her eyes were half-lidded. I smirked and kissed her again, letting one hand travel up and under her shirt and up her back to her neck before I twisted some of her blue-black locks through my fingers. She moaned as I sucked on her lower lip, and bit it gently, drawing a small river of blood. I groaned at the taste of it. It tasted like a sweet, ripe pomegranate that I could easily get addicted to.

"Ahem!" We pulled apart and looked to the door to see Sasuke and Naruto standing there. Naruto was just grinning like an idiot while Sasuke was suddenly extremely interested in his bangs.

"Sorry about the interruption. I just wanted to get me some ramen." Naruto wiggled his eyebrows as he walked by us. I glared at him the entire time as he grabbed a cup of ramen, poured the water in and left the room, Sasuke following instantly.

"Um, I better check my noodles. I don't want them to get too soft and mushy." Nori's statement was added with a loud growl from her stomach. I just chuckled before capturing her lips one more time, running my tongue over her lips before pulling away and placing her on the floor. She grabbed her noodles and a set of chopsticks before walking out the kitchen with me following.

We walked to the Den, and saw Kiba and Itachi pressing buttons furiously on a PS2 controller. I looked to the screen and saw Sub-Zero freeze Sheeva before shattering her into a million pieces.

"SHIT! That's the third time you've gotten me with that stupid freezing snowball thing!" Kiba shouted, waving his arms. Itachi just turned to the wolf and smirked.

"That's cause you suck at MK Kiba. Let me try!" Sakura giggled before taking Kiba's spot on the floor by Itachi. Nori sat on the beanbag and let me lean my back against her knees. We watched as Itachi chose Sub-Zero once more, while Sakura chose Mileena. The famous voice over said, "Fight!" and Sakura went into a flurry of attacks, followed by a well-timed throw. We all let out our comments as Sub-Zero went tumbling down the tower to the second level. It eventually ended with Mileena biting off Sub-Zero's head.

"You just got owned Itachi!" Kiba barked, clapping. Naruto was snickering away while TenTen was on the floor in a fit of giggles.

"Let me try." Sasuke walked forward and grabbed the controller from his older brother, sitting cross-legged beside Sakura. She chose Mileena once more while Sasuke settled for the tag-team Noob and Smoke. It was a tie.

"C'mon Hinata! I'll go easy on you!" Naruto was making puppies eyes at Hinata.

"A-alright N-Naruto-kun." She stuttered as she grabbed a controller. Now it was Bo Rai Cho versus Ashrah. Naruto didn't even land a hit on our new Mortal Kombat prodigy.

"Ooh! I wanna try!" TenTen shoved Naruto out of the way and chose Jade. She lasted a little longer, but not by much.

"Gaara should try!" Noriko suggested after slurping down her last thing of noodles. I looked up at her.

"Yeah! Go on Gaara! Try it!" Naruto and Sakura cheered from the couch. I just smirked and grabbed the controller. Hinata chose Ashrah again, while I chose Scorpion. I used his spear right away, pulling her in then landing a combo with another spear, and then a throw. Hinata landed 4 hits on me before I knocked out of the ring and down onto a spike. Everyone had a go at me, all losing to Scorpion.

"I want to try." Noriko sat next to me, grabbing a controller and choosing Princess Kitana. I smirked and chose Scorpion. I tried the spear move, but she ducked and switched her styles to her blade fans. I managed to block a few of her hits, but she did a throw and disabled my attacks. She then sliced me to ribbons.

"Yep. She's an Uchiha all right." Kiba teased poking her on the back of the head.

"Ok, you guys have school tomorrow. Time for bed." Itachi smirked.

"You ain't my mom!" Naruto shouted, grinning.

"He's just telling you dobe because you can't wake up even if it was to protect the world from ramen eating aliens." Sasuke smirked with Sakura laughing on his lap. Before Naruto could go into one of his loud rants, I used my sand to cover his mouth. Everyone laughed as Naruto's eyes went the size of saucers and his hands claw at the sand in vain. He even fell off the recliner he sat on and wriggled around on the floor. I finally let the sand slither off his face, and he shot up, pointing at me.

"Screw you Gaara!" I just smirked. "I prefer women Namikaze. Boys just don't do that for me." Everyone busted out laughing while Naruto's eyes turned red with a slit pupil.

"Screw you guys! I'm going to bed!" He ported out of the room before we could ridicule that last remark.

"Seriously. We all have school tomorrow. You think you can go Nori?" Itachi turned to Nori.

"Yeah. I'll just sit out during gym." She stood up and hugged everyone as they left. I walked up behind her and took her into my arms, carrying her to her room. I placed her onto the bed, letting her get cozy as I took off my shirt and changed into some black sweats behind the changing screen. She was singing a wordless tune when I walked back out, tucking my shirt and jeans into my bag. She checked her phone and set her alarm before plugging it into the charger and tucking it under her pillow. I crawled over to where she was and laid down, resting my head on the pillow and motioning with him my hand for her to come. She scooted over and snuggled up to me, running her hand up and down my torso.

"Go to sleep Noriko. I'll see you in the morning ok?" She looked up at me with lazy eyes.

"Ok." She propped herself up onto her elbows and kissed me gently. I stroked her face before she pulled away and rested her head on my chest. I ran my fingers through her hair and sang "If You Could Only See" till I heard her breathing grow deeper and steady. Itachi's words played through my head all through the night while I watched her sleep.

"She doesn't have much time Gaara. Spend every moment you can with her."


	13. Back to School Again

**What Brings Us Together**

**Chapter 13**

**Lili-chan: I dnt feel like doing a disclaimer...**

**Noctis: You're freaking lazy**

**Lili-chan: Ooh, how about you do the disclaimer Noct?**

**Noctis: *sigh* Lili-chan doesn't own the characters of Naruto, or the songs used (if there are any) or me. Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, and i belong to square-enix**

"I will say YEAH!!!!!!!" My phone alarm shrieked through the pillow, disturbing and interrupting a rather nice dream of me and Gaara... I'm not going there.

"You sure you want to go to school?" Gaara's smooth voice rumbled in my ear.

"I don't really know any more." I mumbled into his smooth chest, which I'd adopted as my pillow.

"C'mon Sleeping Beauty. Let's go before I beat you to the bathroom." I sat up and stretched, opening the curtains of the canopy bed as I did. I felt his fingers tracing lines down my back and I smiled.

"I won't want to get up if you keep doing that." I turned to him. He smirked before sitting up, looking at me with his black-rimmed eyes. I giggled as he placed a kiss on my forehead. I got up and grabbed my uniform and placing it behind the changing screen before grabbing my robe from the drawers and a towel and heading to the bathroom.

"I'm gonna shower real quick 'kay?" I looked back at him. His eyes never left me as he nodded. I walked into the bathroom and brushed my teeth and hair before turning the water on. I let it warm up before I stripped down and stepped in. The water soothed my muscles and unwound them. I looked at the curse mark, glaring at it. I washed my hair and my body quickly before turning the water off and stepping out of the shower. I wrapped myself in my black robe before looking into the steamy mirror. I wiped the surface so it showed only half of my face. I almost screamed.

The reflection staring back was the same as the monster I became 3 months ago. I wiped the other side, but it was the same. That menacing face, the spinning Rengoku Sharingan, it was all the same. I splashed cold water over my face and looked into the mirror. I sighed with relief. I was probably just scaring myself. I wrapped my hair in a towel and walked out. Gaara was still shirtless, and on the phone apparently.

"Don't play mother with me Temari. You may be my creator, but I don't serve you. I'll be back in a few days." His eyes were a hard jade color, his face composed into a glare. He paused, listening to Temari.

"I don't have to. Good bye." He flipped the phone shut before tossing it onto the bed.

"You can use the bathroom now Gaara." I caught his attention. He nodded and walked towards me. He took me into his arms for a moment, holding me close. I returned the embrace till he pulled away and walked into the bathroom. I turned the radio on as I went to the screen, changing into my uniform while singing along to "One Year of Love" by Queen. I then grabbed a comb and sat down in front of the vanity and French braided my hair. I was getting to the difficult part when Gaara came out.

"Hey do you know how to braid?" I looked at him in the mirror.

"Hn" Was his simple reply.

"Could you finish this for me please?" He was behind me in an instant. His fingers moved quickly as he finished the braid.

"Rubber band?" he held out a hand and I placed a black rubber band in his palm. He snapped it around the end of my braid before grabbing his clothes and heading towards the screen.

"Thanks!" he stayed quiet as he changed. I did my make up before grabbing my shoes and putting my glasses on. He stepped out, and was appearing to have some difficulty with his tie.

"You're hopeless you silly panda." I giggled as I walked towards him and helped him with his tie.

"There you go." I looked up to him and smiled, trying to soften his eyes. He stayed there, and he smirked, taking my chin in between his thumb and pointer finger. He bent his head down and placed a gentle kiss on my lips before pulling away and pulling me to him. He held me, burying his face into my hair, breathing deeply. I leaned into him, resting my cheek on his chest, closing my eyes and listening to his soft and gentle breathing.

"What's the matter Gaara?" It wasn't like him to be this quiet when he was with me.

"It's nothing."

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

"Lets go get you some breakfast so we can leave." He smirked at me, lacing his fingers with mine before walking towards the door.

"Oh shit…" I stopped abruptly, and he turned to me.

"My bag and stuff is at your apartment." I looked at him.

"Shit. I'll get it real quick and meet you in the kitchen." He disappeared in a flurry of sand, leaving me in front of the door. I sighed and followed Naruto' shouting voice to the kitchen. He was eating ramen, as usual, and trying to finish a homework assignment apparently. His pen was skittering across the paper at an inhuman speed, his eyes squinting as he concentrated.

"Careful Naruto. Don't turn your brain into mush." I teased.

"Morning Nori!" TenTen and Naruto cheered.

"Morning guys!" I waved at them. Hinata was helping Naruto, while Kiba was on the phone with his sister discussing the feeding of Akamaru. Sasuke stepped in behind me, with Sakura following close behind. Itachi walked out with 4 plates of food and placed them on the table. We humans and werewolf started eating when Gaara ported in with my backpack.

"I brought my bike too, so we won't have to carpool." He added simply before standing behind me, massaging my shoulders. We finished eating, and watched Naruto as his face scrunched up before he slammed the pen on the table before throwing his arms up.

"FINISHED!!!!" he shouted in triumph before he sagged into his chair.

"C'mon! We don't wanna be late!" TenTen hollered as she grabbed her bag and walked outside. We all followed and went to school. Naruto and Hinata rode with Kiba and TenTen while Sakura rode with Sasuke and Itachi. The day just went by, like it was almost a half-day or something. Before I knew it, we were in gym.

"Um I'm not feeling very well Gai-sensei. May I sit out?" of course, he cried anime tears over my sitting out, but recovered quickly.

"It's ok Noriko! Sometimes beauty and youth must sit and rest to rejuvenate itself!" he trotted off to the rest of the class, who were dividing into teams for relay races. I just sat down and spaced out, not really focusing on anything. That's when I remembered my dream. Did I really know what choice needed to be made? I pondered slightly, when it hit me. Oh lord…

"Nori!" I snapped my head up and saw Gaara's black-rimmed eyes thick with concern.

"Are you ok?" he asked feeling my forehead and my pulse.

"I'm fine. I just spaced out." I smiled sheepishly. He frowned.

"Don't scare me like that." He growled before going into the locker room. I waited for them outside and we all went to McDonalds after words. Kiba and TenTen were already plotting on breaking into the school to change Kiba's scores when I heard a squeal.

"Oh my god! It's Noriko Uchiha!" some girl a little younger then me ran up to me and started digging through her purse.

"I am such a big fan of you and Angels Cry! I saw you perform yesterday! You guys are amazing! Can I have your autographs?" She pushed a notebook into my hands.

"Sure." I signed and she squealed again.

"It's Shinobi! A-a-and Itachi Uchiha from Akatsuki! Can you guys sign too please?" I heard Gaara chuckle as we passed the notebook around.

"Thank you so much! This means so much to me!" she thanked us graciously before running outside.

"That was new." Sakura laughed. I nodded and we finished our food before heading back to the Manor. We all parked ourselves in the Den, settling on watching Boondock Saints.

"You know what we should do?" Sakura grabbed our attention as the menu came up.

"We should go to an amusement park tomorrow." Sakura smiled mischievously, her eyes glinting.

"We have school smart ones. Remember?" Sasuke, being the killjoy, stated blandly as he pressed play.

"Not that I want to bring up doom and gloom stuff, but we may have a limited time left on this earth Sasuke. We should enjoy ourselves while we can." She looked at me to emphasize her point.

"I agree with Sakura." I smiled.

"Why don't you just vote then?" I looked down at Gaara, who just stared back at me.

"Good idea Gaara! All of those who want to go have fun tomorrow, raise your hand!" TenTen chirped, raising her hand. Everyone, even Itachi raised his or her hand, except for Sasuke.

"We beat you teme! Off to the amusement park tomorrow!!!!" Naruto bounced. We stayed watching the movie until Hinata fell asleep. We went our separate ways to our rooms. I changed into my pajamas behind the screen while Gaara just took off his shirt and put on a pair of basketball shorts. I walked out, taking the rubber band out of my hair and running my fingers through it. My hair was wavy now that it was loose from the tight plaits of the braid, and flowed around my shoulders dramatically. I smirked at Gaara, who was sitting on the bed. He saw my and he smirked right back.

I slinked over to him, standing in front of him. He ran a hand up my leg to my hip, and back down slowly, sending a shiver through me. His thumb gently caressed my curse mark as he stared at it. I ran my fingers through his hair, looking down at the messy locks of scarlet. I gasped when he replaced his thumb with his lips, kissing the pinwheel on my hip.

His gentle butterfly kisses then changed to warm, open-mouthed kisses that sent more shivers through me. His fangs gently scraped the flesh before he pulled me to him. He timed the pull with him falling back onto the bed. I landed on top of him, straddling his waist. I blushed and he chuckled, pulling me to him and somehow making it to the middle of the bed. He flipped us over so he was gently resting on top of me, holding his weight so he didn't crush me, but I could still feel him pressing into me.

"You don't mind if I have a little snack?" he whispered huskily into my ear, nibbling on my earlobe.

"W-won't they smell the blood?" I gasped out as he kissed my neck.

"Sasuke and Sakura are occupied with other things I don't want to mention, Itachi is meditating, Kiba and TenTen are out cold, and Naruto just fell asleep watching Hinata." He mumbled into the skin there.

"Then go ahead." I whispered, turning my head to give him better access. One of his arms snaked around my back, making me arch slightly into him. He gave the skin a lick before sinking his fangs into me. I hissed from the small pain, but let out a small whimper of pleasure as he sucked the wound. It felt like liquid fire was rushing through my veins, burning through my being as I gasped out. He drew his mouth away from my neck, licking the punctures his fangs left before looking into my eyes. He looked completely and utterly sexy as he licked his lips, hovering above me provocatively.

He captured my lips, seeking entrance. As always, I granted it, letting his tongue twist with mine. We stayed there kissing for several minutes until he turned onto his back and pulled me onto his chest. He smirked at me and kissed my forehead. "Sleep Nori. I have a feeling we're in for a long day tomorrow." I looked up at him and kissed the tattoo over his eye. "Mmkay. See you in the morning"


	14. Last Day of Fun

**Kiba: Lili-chan isn't feeling good... so i just wanna say... **

**SHE DOESN'T OWN ANY OF THE ORIGINAL NARUTO CHARACTERS!!!!!!!!!!!! so... nyah!**

**What Brings Us Together**

**Chapter 14**

"HERE WE GO!!!!" Naruto bellowed with Hinata in his arms as we ran to the park.

"Quiet dobe! You'll draw attention to us!" Sasuke hissed. Sakura was right behind him with TenTen on her back.

"This is soooo not cool!" Kiba barked from Itachi's back. Itachi just frowned.

Noriko was clinging to my back as we bolted to the theme park. We stopped a few meters away and let our mortals and wolf down. No head rushes this time. We walked in through the gates of the Amusement Park, and chaos greeted us. Children and parents running around, people eating and drinking, carts filled with toys and other merchandise and so many other things. Naruto was already jumping in place, as eager as the children that ran around.

"Itachi!" We all turned to see Sasori, Deidara and Kisame walking towards us. They joined the group as we bought those all day ride passes or whatever they were called.

"Which one's first?" Sakura asked after a worker wrapped the bright neon green bracelet around her wrist.

"Let's go on the Tilt-A-Whirl!" Hinata squealed. Everyone just got quiet and looked at the young Hyuga. She was just as excited as Naruto, and wasn't stuttering for once. They eventually ended up dragging us on ALL the rides in the park.

(Picture your favorite rides with the Naruto characters and Noriko riding them. Use your imagination.)

Sasuke and Naruto almost broke the Strength Test game trying to beat each other in a testosterone contest. Sakura and Hinata reprimanded them like a mother and her son.

Kisame got sick on a roller coaster and hurled into a trash can as soon as he got off.

Noriko and me bought the pictures they had taken of us on the Drop Tower, laughing at how Deidara's hair was straight up.

Then came the water rides. Sakura complained about her hair turning into a puffball, but Sasuke insisted on taking her on the Raft Rapids and Log Ride. Her pink hair was as frizzy as can be.

Hinata was having the time of her life, screaming and laughing while Naruto crowed out loudly.

Itachi and Kisame took pictures in the "stocks" and ended up almost getting stuck.

Sasori lost his leg on the Yo-Yo, causing a panic. Thankfully, we made up a story about him being in a car accident and needing a prosthetic leg. (Imagine that. LOL)

When Nori started wheezing and getting dizzy, panic rose. We sat her on a bench and Sakura bought her a cup of lemonade while the others played games.

The sun was starting to set, and the park started to close. We all walked out, laughing and joking. Kisame, Deidara, and Sasori walked to their car and drove off while we took off towards the mansion. TenTen was complaining about the sunburn on her shoulders, so Kiba rubbed some aloe on her pink skin. We all settled in the living room, arguing over what to watch when a shriek startled us.

"What the fuck is that!" Kiba barked, already landing on his hands as he was preparing to shift. The windows swung open, and several hooded vampires entered.

"Itachi Uchiha. Step forward." One of them rasped. I saw one look at Noriko and smile. I snarled and stood in front of her. Itachi walked to the head of the vampires, and was handed a single scroll.

"You and your accomplices are charged with the murder of the Royal Court guards of the Suzuka house and the murder of Yuki Suzuka. You shall be put to death and portrayed as a criminal. Your brother and his fledgling are charged of high treason and shall be bled. Do you object to these charges?" he hissed. Itachi smirked.

"No, but we won't go quietly. And I suggest you leave before trying to take us in." Snarls were heard from the hooded messengers as we stood our grand. The leader just lifted a hand.

"As you wish. But know this, Itachi. They will come after you. And no one will be spared. Not even your precious humans and your dog." Kiba growled loudly in defiance.

"Fine. Now get out." Itachi growled out. The messengers took off through the windows.

"Our time has just been shortened." Sasuke stated blandly, holding on to a shaking Sakura.

"When will they be here?" TenTen choked, stroking Kiba's still rigid back.

"They'll be here by tomorrow night. Suzuka is blood thirsty, and has envied the Uchiha clan for a long time." Itachi hissed, clenching his fists. Noriko put a hand on my shoulder and pulled me towards her. I took her in my arms as we all went our separate ways. All was quiet in the mansion as the dread began to build up. Noriko was in a trance I couldn't bring her out of. I already knew what she was thinking. We were all thinking about it. How would we spend what may be our last day alive?

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I slept lightly. The tension in the atmosphere wasn't pleasant whatsoever. Gaara just held me in his arms. When morning came, there was a dead silence throughout the mansion. No one was motivated, not even bubble headed Naruto. I was already going insane as it was, but that was driving me crazy. I finally stood and walked towards the basement door hidden behind a moving panel. I punched the wall and it moved, revealing the door.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm not going to sit here moping." I said harshly.

"If you're looking for me, I'll be downstairs training." I finished and walked down the stairs.

I clapped my hands and the lights flashed on, lighting a great basement of concrete floors and walls. Various fighting equipment was placed in different parts of the room, and there was a door that led to the showers in the back of the room. On one wall, a giant mirror reflected the room on its surface. I walked to the lockers and pulled out my sweat suit, slipping into it discreetly.

I heard footsteps behind me and looked to the stairs. Gaara walked in, pushing his red hair back and taking off his shirt to reveal a black muscle-shirt. (…drool…) Everyone else walked in, removing or changing clothing more accommodating to fitness. I smirked and jabbed Sasuke in the shoulder. He looked at me and smirked back before swinging at me with a left hook. I easily ducked it and punched him in the gut towards the boxing ring in the center of the basement.

We were soon paired off, doing different things.

Itachi trained with Sakura, teaching her how to use her magic, and soon discovering that she could channel that energy into different limbs for faster performance and stronger hits. She could use that energy to heal wounds.

Gaara and Naruto were sparring at insane speeds in the ring next to Sasuke's and mine.

TenTen was helping Kiba with weight training and Hinata was our water girl, or "blood girl" for our batboys.

Of course, they were to protective of me.

I got tired real easily, and they'd try ushering me to a seat. I'd just shake my head and start something new, whether it was jump rope or the speed bag.

Gaara finally came up and made me sit down on his lap. I wiggled and squirmed, but he wouldn't let go. I finally gave up and settled for watching my cousin's spar with their Kusanagi blades. Naruto finally complained about being drained of chakra, stopping our actions. WE showered and freshened up before meeting in the den.

"So what's our battle strategy?" Kiba asked, whistling sharply after. He was calling Akamaru.

"Hinata and TenTen will stay here and wait for us. We'll meet the vampires on the outskirts, by the Sakura forest." Itachi answered, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall.

Gaara growled lightly.

"You're going to let Nori come? That's a recipe for disaster." He hissed. I smacked him on the leg.

"There's no way I can stay when I have the power to help. I'm not only fighting for me." I said, looking at Hinata and TenTen.

"I'm fighting for them because they can't. I'm fighting because I want to see my loved ones prosper." I finished. Itachi smirked and Sakura smiled gently. Naruto was attempting a big grin, but came out more like forced smile for a picture.

"Do you think they'll have Vampire Hunters?" Sasuke asked, leaning forward and resting his head on his hands. Itachi shook his head.

"ANBU agents aren't very fond of being hired by vampires. It'll only be the vampiric executioner squad."

I raised a brow.

"Weren't you with the V.E.S for a while?"

Itachi nodded.

"So that psycho is gonna be there?"

Another nod.

Brilliant.

There was a loud bark from outside, and Kiba walked to the window across from where he sat on the floor and opened it. He whistled again, and Akamaru bounded through the window, landing on his master with enthusiasm.

"Down boy." Kiba grunted as the dog rolled off of him and settled at TenTen's feet.

I looked through the open window and cringed. The sun was already beginning to set. We all knew that what may be our final hour had emerged.

I hugged TenTen and Hinata before we left, tears running from our eyes as we all said goodbye.

TenTen was bawling as Kiba held her in his arms, stroking her back. He finally brought her head up and kissed her, pouring his soul into that gesture.

Naruto lifted Hinata, her pearl eyes glittering with tears. Naruto whispered something in her ear and placed her on the ground before kissing away her tears.

We all left the mansion and headed east, with me being carried on Gaara's back. When we arrived, the sun was completely gone and the moon was beginning to peek over the horizon. When it emerged in its entire full splendor, it cast its eerie glow across the trees, changing the light pink petals to a silvery white.

I took a deep breath before tapping Gaara on the shoulder. He turned to me, anger and desperation showing in his pale eyes.

"I wanna talk to you real quick." I whispered, pulling him away several feet behind a bigger tree. I looked up at him, trying to look determined as possible.

"Don't go and do anything stupid trying to protect me, Gaara." My voice sounded firm, but not all that convincing.

He rolled his eyes, earning a slap from me.

"Dammit Gaara! Listen!" I cried, tears stinging my eyes. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and turned to look at me with red tears threatening to spill over his black lids.

"I'm not doing this to put you through sorrow!" I sobbed, placing my hands on his chest and grabbing at the material of his leather jacket.

"I'm doing this because I can't stand to see something happen to you… to Sakura… to Sasuke, Itachi or Kiba!" I wailed as a single tear slipped from each of his eyes.

"Without me… you guys might not stand a chance…" I looked up at him.

"I don't wanna lose you Nori…" he whispered, his low voice cracking slightly. I just smiled weakly.

"You won't Gaara. I know what I have to do." I brought both of my hands up and placed them on the sides of his chiseled face.

"That's why I just wanted to tell you…" I leaned forward, kissing his cheek before bringing my lips to his ear and whispering,

"I love you…"

I pulled back slowly and looked into his eyes. He just looked at me sadly before pulling me into a fierce embrace. I wrapped my arms around him before snaring his lips and kissing him. We poured all our emotions into that kiss, trying to show the other how we felt as our lips melted together and our tongues danced.

He reluctantly pulled away, his eyes closed as he did so. I wiped my tears away as I whispered words of encouragement to him. He grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers together as we walked back towards the group.

Sakura was fighting Naruto, their speed only a blur with my horrible eyesight.

Sasuke was sharpening his sword, the steel glinting menacingly in the moonlight.

Kiba had removed his shirt and shoes before snarling and shifting into his other form.

Akamaru trotted over to us, whining slightly. I reached down and scratched his ear, earning a series of soft pants from the oversized canine.

Itachi was staring at the horizon as he tied back his hair.

Gaara let go of my hand to cross his arms as the familiar hissing of his sand filled my ears. It coated his skin and formed the trademark gourd on his back. He glanced at me, smirking despite his sorrow.

Suddenly, everyone froze. Kiba and Akamaru began to growl loudly as they turned to face the horizon. They slowly formed a line beside Itachi. Sasuke activated his Sharingan as Sakura fixed her gloves and her eyes turned red.

Naruto's hair began to spike even more as the whisker marks on his face widened slightly, and his eyes turned red with slits as his fangs grew considerably.

Gaara attempted to stand in front of me. I rolled my eyes and stood beside him.

They had already seen, smelled, and heard the other vampires before me, but now I could see an entire platoon of white cloaks running from the across the way.

They had arrived…

Bringing what may be our final hour upon this earth…

**DUN DUN DUN!!!!!!!!! Of course I had to end in a cliffhanger! It creates tension! Anyways, the next chapter is already up, me having posted it right after this one! SO HURRY UP AND GET TO THE NEXT ONE!!!!!**


	15. Finale: The Outcome

**Lili-chan: Ok, this is the last Disclaimer. EVERYBODY AT THE SAME TIME!!!**

**All FanFiction Characters: LILI-CHAN OWNS NONE OF US EXCEPT NORI!!!! ENJOY!!!!**

**What Brings Us Together**

**Final Chapter**

They stopped in front of us, their cloaks glowing under the moon. One, who I assumed was the leader, pulled his hood back.

Oh god…

I knew this one…

He was the reason Itachi left the Vampire Execution Squad…

"Itachi Uchiha! It's been far too long!" he cried with fake enthusiasm, like a bad actor in a low budget movie

"It has been, Takuya." Itachi replied monotonously.

Takuya used to creep me out when I was younger. He had the same effect now. His hair was platinum blonde and slicked back against his skull. His ruby eyes glinted with evil intent as he scanned over us. His eyes settled on me, and felt as if his hands were on me, gliding over my body with a sickly touch.

"So this is Aya's little mongrel?" He mused, walking towards me. Gaara growled, sand swirling at his feet. I just brushed my fingers along his wrist in a calming gesture.

"She is fair. Just like her mother." He smirked, reaching up to touch my cheek with his icy hand.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Gaara snarled, sand flying around him.

Treyu's hand fell to his side as he glared at my savior.

"Ah, Kazekage-sama. Watch your mouth. Or she'll have to pay for it." He threatened.

I snarled as the burning of the now spreading curse mark coated my skin. I felt the horns protrude from my skull as my nails grew and my eyes stung.

"You even lay a hand on him and I'll remove it!" I growled with my new voice. Takuya's eyes widened when he saw my Sharingan. His face then contorted into a scowl of rage.

"So it's true. They did curse Aya's little bitch."

A chorus of howls and snarls sounded from our group. The vampires across from us snarled back, writhing with fury at our defiance.

"Stop this nonsense Itachi. We promise there will be no pain." Takuya said as he glided to where Itachi stood. Itachi smirked.

"It hasn't been that long since I've left the Execution Squad. I know how you operate Takuya." He hissed as his Mangekyo formed. Takuya froze for a split second.

"You should know how resilient I am. Especially when my family is involved." Itachi continued. Takuya's red eyes flicked from him, to Sasuke, to me, then back at Itachi.

"Then you leave me with no choice, old friend." Takuya sighed, drawing a katana from under his robe.

Kiba howled at the moon as Itachi and Sasuke drew their swords.

"Obliterate them!" Takuya roared before bolting towards Itachi.

The final battle had started…

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I suck at really long fight scenes, so picture what you want

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We suffered little casualties as the battle commenced. Noriko's attacks were brutal as she moved with a speed greater than Sasuke's, our fastest vampire.

Sakura had created multiple fissures in the ground, as well as many healed wounds.

Naruto's ability to tame the foxfire inside him was a great asset. His chakra had covered his body and formed 4 of the 9 tails he was still learning to control. The chakra was receding as he hooted with victory.

Sasuke was removing the blood from his blade, running his tongue along the silvery surface.

Kiba had shifted back into human form as a bloody Sakura healed the gashes across his body. Steam rose out of the wounds as Sakura tried to stop the silver burns from spreading through his blood stream.

Akamaru now had an X shaped scar on his left eye, courtesy of a vampire attempting to stab Itachi in the back.

I let my sand fall from its shape and onto the ground harmlessly as I looked at Noriko. Her curse mark form was a spectacular sight. Her blue skin began to recede into the flames that proceeded down into the small mark on her hip. She turned rather clumsily to face me.

My heart dropped.

Her eyes were milky white; you couldn't see the irises at all. She had completely lost her sight.

She smiled for a second before she shuddered. I saw her legs give out and bolted forward to catch her before she hit the ground. Everyone else gathered around us. Noriko had started coughing up blood again like she did the other day.

Itachi dipped his head forward, baring his fangs.

I snarled and pulled her towards me.

"Are you crazy Gaara? There's no time to waste!" Sakura hissed. Sasuke just put a hand on her shoulder.

I didn't want anyone else to turn her. I might not be a pureblood, but there are other ways to turn a human.

I bit my wrist, sucking my blood out of the veins as fast as I could before lowering my lips to hers. I forced her mouth open and let my blood flow into her mouth.

"Now isn't the time to be giving her a goodbye kiss Gaara!" Naruto bellowed.

"Quiet dobe. He's not kissing her." Sasuke hissed.

"WELL THEN WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING?" Naruto continued. Man, he could be dense.

"He's giving her blood! Now shut the fuck up!" Sasuke snarled.

Naruto replied with a trademark "Huh?"

I pulled away once I made sure she had swallowed the blood, pressing my ear against her chest to verify her heartbeat as Itachi sighed and explained to the blonde nimrod.

"Purebloods possess the venom necessary for turning a human. But that isn't the only way to turn them."

Itachi went into super scientist mode when I pulled myself away from her chest to whisper her in her ear.

"I'm sorry Nori. It'll be all right. Everything's gonna be all right." I kissed her temple, the skin searing my lips with the heat.

"I love you." I finished as I lifted her in my arms.

"So, what your saying Itachi, is that ANY vampire, pureblood or common, can change a human by making the human drink vampire blood?" Sakura asked, verifying the information. Itachi replied with a nod.

I didn't wait for anyone. I just ported Noriko and me back to the manor.

I ported into the room, where Hinata and Tenten were waiting.

They ran forward, swollen, red eyes wide as they looked at the shivering Nori in my arms.

Everyone else ported in behind us as I lay Noriko down, drawing a blanket over her quivering form. I laced my fingers with hers.

"What's wrong with her?" Tenten squeaked, Kiba's arms around her in a comforting hug.

Hinata walked forward, holding Naruto's hand as she looked at Nori.

"I-I-s she t-t-turning?" The Hyuga stuttered.

I only nodded.

There was a gust of wind and my siblings were in the room.

"GAARA!!!! What the hell is going on?" Temari shrieked.

"Keep it down, Sabaku no Temari!" Sasuke snarled. Temari hissed back, before I snarled.

"Shut your fucking mouths before I rip them off."

Temari gasped and Kankuro's eyes went wide. They knew it when m threats were meant.

Itachi informed Temari of the situation, with Sasuke and Sakura, Nori's mark, the Execution, everything.

"That's why we had V.E.S at our door! They were looking for Gaara!" Kankuro snapped, hitting his hand with his fist.

"You know what this means Gaara." Temari sighed as she placed a hand on my shoulder.

"We'll have to speak with the council. There is no fault here." She continued.

"The former Kazekage would definitely help clear this up. Seeing as we have annihilated one of the elites best executioners, they'll be in the mood for negotiation." Itachi added.

I nodded, kissing Nori's fingertips before standing and walking towards the door.

"Sasuke." The Uchiha turned to me.

"Watch her. Please. Make sure she's ok." I pleaded.

"Hai." He nodded.

I closed the door and ported with The Elder Uchiha and my Maker to persuade our innocence.

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I watched over my cousin for 3 days.

Gaara and my brother were still having a difficult time with those cowardly bastards of the council, and Nori's condition hadn't changed.

Sakura, Naruto, Hinata, Kiba, and Tenten had returned to school. There was only a month left, so it would be easy to catch up with missing work. Schoolwork had always eased up at the last month.

I changed the wet cloth on Nori's head again, watching for any sign that the turning process was ending. I hadn't slept at all, and even a pureblood can get tired eventually. I sighed, rubbing my eyes in a vain attempt to rub any trace of fatigue when I froze.

Nori's heart had begun to slow down.

I stood up, pressing two fingers against her heated neck.

Her pulse rate was slowing dramatically, and her body temperature was dropping radically.

She was turning! Finally!

I pulled the cloth away from her head when she suddenly grabbed my wrist, her eyes snapping open.

Her eyes were the Rengoku Sharingan, and darted to and fro.

"Sasuke?" she wheezed.

A smile graced my lips as I nodded. She smiled in return, showing her small, but noticeable fangs. I helped her sit up, but she just proceeded to standing upon the carpet.

I was amazed, until she doubled over in pain.

I bolted forward to see what was wrong. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and her hands covered her left hip. I saw the red flames begin to coat her skin as she looked up at me.

"I need to get outside…" she grunted. I picked her up easily and bolted outside to our backyard, if you could call the stadium-sized grounds a backyard.

She urged me to put her down as the wind started to gust, rippling across the grass and moving the trees. She limped forward to the pool-sized pond as a gust slammed me against a tree. Dark clouds were rolling in fast, bringing a thunder and lightning with it as it formed over the manor.

Nori stepped out onto the water's surface, walking across it as if it here solid. She reached the center, and a geyser shot up like a pillar beneath her. My vampire eyes saw the lightning before it struck…

"NORIKO!!!!" I roared as the bolt struck her, the force pinning me to the tree once more. I lifted my arm to shield my eyes from the flash of light that would even blind me, or any vampire for that matter.

After a few seconds passed, I felt the rain start to fall as the drops hit my skin. I lowered my arm gazing across the yard. Nori was gone. Panic rose in my chest as I stepped forward from the tree to stand in front of the pond where my cousin last stood.

If it weren't for my vampire hearing, the small fluttering noise overhead would have fallen on deaf ears beneath the now pouring rain.

I looked skyward, shielding my eyes from the water with my hand, when I gasped.

My cousin was in full-blown curse mark form; silver hair, blue ski, and horns. A pair of feathered jet-black wings protruded from her back, flapping gently as she descended from the air. She landed in front of me, wings folding and melting into her back. She began to revert from the blue skinned form, the flames now a gentle, glowing blue as they receded to the mark on her hip. She opened her eyes, revealing the familiar onyx eyes of our family.

"Are you ok Nori?" I asked, a little out of breath.

She smiled and nodded before practically glomping me.

"I'm free Sasuke! It's not a curse anymore!" She sobbed into my shoulder. I hugged her back as she continued her joyful crying.

She finally pulled away to look at me.

"It's a blessing." She finished.

I smiled, but the thunder alerted me to the still pouring rain. I ushered my cousin back inside, letting her shower and change.

I did the same and met her in the dining area. She was finally back to her normal self. I smirked and walked into the kitchen, pouring her glass of blood, which was delivered by a blood bank my family sponsored.

She wrinkled her nose at first, but gladly gulped the thick substance down.

She proceeded to whip my ass at Halo 3. Her new reflexes and speed were delighting her as she blew me to bits and sniped me from little nooks in the mountains of the planet we were currently facing off on.

We heard the front door open, and Sakura shouting my name.

When she came into the Den with the others, they all froze. Nori stopped sipping from the crazy straw that she had placed in another glass of blood, looking at the awestruck group.

"What?" she asked before getting tackled by the 3 girls and Naruto.

"NORIKO-CHAN!!!!" they screamed, hugging her and shouting out greetings and other comments.

"You guys are gonna spill the blood! That won't come out of the carpet!" Noriko squealed.

They proceeded to get off of my poor cousin, who stumbled up and placed her glass on the coffee table.

She greeted everyone, exchanging hugs and a few tears.

I looked at Naruto, who had settled beside me.

He was crying, red tears spilling down his cheeks.

"Don't cry dobe." I teased.

He just looked at me and smiled.

"I'm not the only one Teme… I'm not the only one."

I smiled back as a single tear ran down my cheek…

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WARNING!!!! THIS NEXT SCENE CONTAINS MY VERY FIRST LEMON!!! IF YOU DON"T LIKE THIS STUFF, THEN DON'T READ IT. And yes, it's from Nori's POV

I walked to Gaara's apartment. I wanted to surprise him with my new self. To be honest, immortality didn't seem all that bad. Especially since I'd be spending it with him. He hadn't been able to stay with me during my transition because Temari and Itachi needed to clear up a few things with the Vampire Elites, and the former Kazekage of Suna would really be an addition to their efforts apparently. Sakura told me he got back into Konoha earlier today, but was busy with other stuff he wanted to take care of so he could be with me all weekend.

I stood behind his apartment complex and looked up. I just smirked and jumped as high as I could. I landed on the wall and focused my magic into my hands and feet. I ran up the wall with ease. I then landed onto the balcony to his room. The sliding door was open, the closed curtains swaying in the breeze. I heard the door close downstairs. He probably just got home. I heard him walk up the stairs, the door hidden behind the swaying curtains opening quietly. He sighed just as the wind breezed behind me, carrying my scent into the room.

I knew he smelt it. He had told me I smelled like the rain, but the memory was a little fuzzy. The curtains ripped open to reveal him to me. My now enhanced eyes took him in, staring at the new features that my human eyes could never see. Like how his eyes were so intense in color, and how flawless and perfect his pale skin was.

"Hi Gaara." I giggled at his shocked face.

"You're… turned?" he was at a loss for words. I just nodded. He reached a hand out to touch my cheek.

I felt a little electric shock run through me at his touch and couldn't help myself. I leaned in and kissed him, brushing my lips against his.

He reacted instantly, pulling me to him and taking advantage of my gasp to slip his tongue into my mouth. I closed my eyes and knotted my fingers into his hair. His hands went from my waist to my hips to my thighs, where he curled his fingers around them and hoisted me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist instinctively. I felt him walking and then we were falling. I pulled away and saw that we had landed on the bed, with him resting up above me. He stared at me with an intensity that seemed to bore right through me.

That look in his eyes…

He brought his lips to mine once more as he ran one of his hands up my hip to my shirt, carefully lifting the material a quarter of an inch. He broke away and looked at me, asking silently for permission.

I nodded, and he removed my shirt, throwing it carelessly away before kissing my neck. My hands were nimble as they danced down the front of his shirt, undoing the buttons as they went. He sat up for one second and let the shirt fall from his shoulders, shrugging out of it and tossing it before he brought his lips to my neck once again. I moaned, running my hands down his back, feeling the hard, tight muscles flutter under my touch.

His hands wandered to my jeans, his thumbs dipping in under the dark denim and stroking my hipbones in circular motions. After he rubbed them, he brought a hand to the button and undid my jeans, pulling the zipper down slowly.

"Gaara…" I gasped in his ear. There was a rumble from his chest that reminded me of a pleased cat purring. He pulled my jeans down slowly as he brought his lips back to mine. I bit down onto his lip and drew a small river of sweet blood. I sucked on his lip, drinking the sweet nectar. He groaned and pressed his hips between my legs. I felt his arousal against my underwear, rubbing against the spot where my body was almost exploding with heat. He started to grind his hips into mine in a slow rhythm that was driving me insane.

I moaned, and then arched when I felt his hands dance across my back to unclip my bra. He pulled off my bra, revealing my breasts to him. I immediately brought my arms to my chest in an attempt to cover myself. He snarled and pulled my arms up and over my head, shackling them with one hand.

"Don't hide from me." He growled softly. I nodded, closing my eyes.

"Why are you so embarrassed?" he whispered in my ear, nibbling my earlobe.

"I-I've never let any m-man see me like this." I gasped out as one of his hands ran up my side, brushing past my breast.

"Don't be embarrassed. You're beautiful." He stated before placing hot, open-mouthed kisses down my neck. One of his hands surprised me as he cupped my right breast. I moaned and scratched his back, scraping my nails over his pale, smooth skin. His lips continued to wander until he reached my other breast. He looked up at me before he started to trace around my now hard nipple with his tongue.

"G-Gaara!" I gasped, arching slightly. He continued to make lazy circles around my nipple while his hand kneaded my other one. He finally took the nipple into his mouth, sucking on it and sending a whole new sensation through me. I moaned loudly, knotting my fingers into his hair. My breathing was growing more erratic, and quickened when he switched breasts. He finally finished his work and brought his face to mine.

He stared down at me, and ground his hips into mine again. I growled gently, running my hands down his chest to his black jeans. I shyly ran my hand over the hard lump that had formed in his pants and he hissed.

"Nori…" he groaned as I stroked it again. He threw his head back as I continued to stroke him. I finally stopped with him groaning in disapproval, but preceded to unbutton his pants and pull them down He kicked them off, leaving him in a pair of black boxers. I ran my hands back up his chest to his face. I brought his lips to mine, molding them to his while he pulled down my panties. If I were human, I would've been blushing like mad.

He began to kiss my neck as his hand stroked my inner thigh, coming into dangerous proximity of my core. He then bit into my neck and inserted a finger into me.

"Gaara!" I screamed, arching violently as an electric current ran through me. The endorphins that had entered my bloodstream from his fangs were starting to take effect, making my stomach coil. He growled as he drank my blood and added another finger inside me, thrusting them in and out of me. I moaned, turning my head to the side as he drew his head away from my neck. He licked his lips and added another finger. I screamed his name once more as the coil in my stomach tightened to the point of pain. But, before that coil snapped, he pulled his fingers out. I growled and looked up at him. He smirked with a predatory grin, his black and yellow eyes shining. He brought his fingers up to his lips and licked them clean of my fluids. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply.

"You taste so sweet Nori." He stated, his voice deep and husky. I shivered as he licked the wound he'd inflicted on my neck and slowly headed south, kissing the valley between my breasts to my stomach. He licked around my belly button, making me shudder again, and continued.

"Gaara?" my voice was shaky as I looked down at him. He smirked again and skipped THAT region and kissed my thigh, heading back north slowly. He stopped at THE spot, and pulled my legs to rest on his shoulders.

"I want some more." And before I could react, he licked my nether lips. I gasped as he continued to lick the folds, the coil in my stomach re-tightening as he continued his work. I screamed his name when he sucked on the small bundle of nerves of my core.

"Gaara!"

I continued to moan and scream as he proceeded to insert his tongue into my cave. The coil tightened, and finally snapped. I clutched the sheets and moaned loudly, my magic was now on the fritz and focusing in my eyes and forming my Sharingan as my body exploded with pleasure. When the spots faded from my vision, I looked down at him. He was licking his lips slowly and provocatively, his yellow eyes looking at me as he placed his chin on my stomach, rubbing my hips in soft, slow circles. I saw his eyes drift to the still remaining curse mark on my hip.

"Why's this still there? I thought-" I pressed a finger to his lips.

"I'll explain later. Just shut up and kiss me." I growled, pulling his face to mine and kissing him. I could taste myself on his lips as he molded mine together with his. I brought my hands down to the waistband of his boxers and moved them down slowly. He kicked them off before breaking away and looking at me. I couldn't help but stare at his manhood. How the hell was THAT supposed to fit in me? I gulped and he chuckled, pulling me in for another kiss. He pulled away and positioned himself at my opening.

"You sure you want this Nori? I can stop now, but I can't if we keep going." He rasped out. I just nodded and opened my legs a little wider while I wrapped my arms around his neck. He captured my lips before he thrust into me. His mouth muffled my scream as a searing pain shot through me. He had torn through my barrier, and stilled above me, giving me time to adjust. He broke away, kissing my forehead and licking away my bloody tears.

"I'm sorry it hurts. I'm so sorry…" He whispered into my ear lovingly. My tears stopped, and the pain was soon replaced by a pleasurable feeling. I bucked my hips gently, giving him the go ahead. He kissed me and began to rock his hips, pulling out slightly before thrusting deeper into me. I grew tiresome of the slow pace and whispered into his ear.

"Faster…"

He complied with my wish and went faster.

"Gaara…" I moaned out into his ear.

"Say it again." He growled, biting into my shoulder.

"Gaara."

He growled again and went faster. I screamed his name as the coil from before was beginning to tighten once more. My Sharingan began to spin as I leaned forward and bit into his neck harshly. He snarled and his pace increased as I drank in his sweet blood. I drew my lips away from his neck just as my coil snapped, shooting heat and electricity through me.

"GAARA!!!" I screamed, scratching his back and drawing blood. He thrust into me a few more times before his arms began to shake.

"Noriko!" he roared my name as I felt heat shoot into my womb before he collapsed onto me. He made an attempt to roll off, but I just pulled him to me.

"It's ok Gaara. I don't mind." I whispered as he rested his head on my chest. He was still inside me, and I reveled in the feel of it. The intimacy of it...

"Nori-hime?" he whispered, grabbing my attention. I looked down at him; his eyes back to their normal jade color.

"I love you. Honest to God. I love you with all of my being." He stated, locking his gaze with mine. I smiled before responding.

"I love you too." I whispered running my fingers through his messy crimson locks. And he did something I never expected him to do. He closed his black-rimmed eyes, and slept...

I woke up, blinking several times and taking in my surroundings. I was in Gaara's room… The memories flooded through my mind and I smiled. I looked at the sleeping man at my chest. My little raccoon… I giggled quietly and stroked his face. He stirred, his eyes fluttering open before looking at me.

"Morning sleepy head." I teased quietly. He just smirked.

"Morning love." He greeted sleepily before kissing the valley between my breasts. I giggled again at his butterfly kiss. He pulled out of me and rolled to the side looking at me. His fingers ghosted down my side, his eyes following until he reached my still present curse mark. He just looked back at me, eyebrow (…what eyebrow?) raised. I just chuckled at his confused expression.

"I thought converting you would break the curse." He muttered.

"It did." I chuckled again.

"Then why is that god forsaken thing still there?" he hissed at my mark.

"Because it can't eat away at my body anymore silly! Not even the curse's magic can eat away at the body of a vampire." I stated. He just looked at me.

"There are only a few ways to kill us right? Either by cutting off our head or destroying the heart. The curse mark doesn't cut off heads, and it can't eat away at an organ that doesn't work, so it cancels the effects out. But, I can still use its power without having to worry about it hurting me." I saw his brain registering the information as I spoke.

"Ah" Was his simple reply before pulling me to him. He pulled the covers over us before kissing my forehead. I was just about to doze off when I heard something downstairs.

"Gaara! Where the hell are you? You have to hear the news!" Temari was flying up the stairs before we could even become, ahem, PRESENTABLE.

"Noriko's gonna be alri-" Temari stopped in mid sentence when she entered the room. Her eyes were wide, and my face would've been as red as a tomato if I were capable of blushing.

"HOLY SHIT!!! I'm blind!!!" she shrieked as she ran out the door shutting it behind her as she went. I just started laughing into Gaara's immaculate chest. He chuckled and grabbed my chin. He angled my face upwards and kissed me. We stayed there for a few moments before he pulled away.

"I love you, Noriko Uchiha." He stated simply. I smiled.

"I love you, Sabaku no Gaara."

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Wow… we're all done. This was my first fanfic, and I must say, I'm very satisfied with the result. O_O THE ENDING WAS SUPER LONG!!! I may write one last concert scene, which will be like, 3 chapters, like it was in the beginning. I may write a sequel, because I noticed ITACHI IS STILL SINGLE!!!!Itachi: You hear that ladies? I, the great Itachi Uchiha, am still single!

***FANGIRLS SCREAM***

**Lili-chan: Yeah, but you killed your wife. That might kill your chances.**

***cricket, cricket***

**Itachi: Damn you**

**Lili-chan: Anyways, if I get enough reviews and/or messages asking for a sequel, I'll try writing one. I am also updating the Raven story when I get the chance, and will be posting a SasuNaru one-shot. That will probably be the last of my Naruto fanfics. **

**SORRY! **

**I just have a few ideas for some Final Fantasy stories. I'm currently working on a crossover story with Noctis, from FF Versus XIII, and Rinoa (my favorite FF character) from FF VIII. Also working on a Noctis/Stella one too. And lastly, I have an idea for a Drakengard story too. Those will be coming out soon hopefully. **

**I hope you all enjoyed this story. THANK YOU FOR READING!!!!!**

**Lots of love,**

**Lili-chan, a.k.a XxXLiliumAngelXxX**


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